Saving the Past and Future
by Illuminatus
Summary: Angel is a Charmed One, sent back in time to MiddleEarth to ward the Fellowship against a demon who seeks to alter the past. But how long can she keep her powers a secret, especially when she cannot control them herself? DISCONTINUED
1. Ch 1: More Than Meets the Eye

Angel is a Charmed One, sent back in time to Middle-Earth to ward the Fellowship against a demon who seeks to alter the past.  But how long can she keep her powers a secret, especially when she cannot control them herself?  (Not a Legomance)

Disclaimer: I don't own The Lord of the Rings.  It belongs to J.R.R. Tolkien, whose literary skills are unmatched by any other writer.  (Yes, I worship Tolkien.)  Also, I do not own Charmed.  It was created by Constance M. Burge, and the WB 20.  However, I do own Angel, Kendall, and any other OC's that are mentioned here, as well as the basic plot in this story (excluding the LOTR theme).

A/N: Do not expect the first few chapters to be as well written as the later ones, but please stick with it.  I promise that it'll get better.

* * *

Prologue: A Time to Remember 

Magic has long been the heritage of the world, older than the time of creation itself, when Eru, the One, forged the world.  In an age long past, magic flowed strong through the veins of the earth, free and pure.  It was the substance of life, it was what fueled dreams and kept hope alive.   

But evil would not let it remain so. 

Good and evil counteract each other in an endless struggle for power, amidst the vast workings of the universe, yin and yang, the light and the dark.  Magic proved easily swayed to either force, and evil found ways to pervert it to their use. 

There came creatures who indulged in dark power, shrouded themselves in blackness and deception.  They shunned the light and indulged themselves in the misery of others.  They found ways to twist magic for their foul purposes and focus its energy into powers. 

Thus, the first demons came into being.

The first children of Eru were the Valar.  Among them was one who rebelled, in his belief that true power lay in the Dark, not the Light.  His name was Morgoth, and he was the first to taint the purity of magic.  He underwent numerous supernatural transformations, stripped himself of all good and immersed in darkness.  When he resurfaced, he was a thing no longer recognizable as a creation of Eru.  Morgoth became the first Source of All Evil.  He rallied the demons together under his rule and with his converted beings of the light to the dark side.  He worked to destroy all that the Valar had created, and poisoned the Trees of Valinor. 

In response, the Valar created witches, beings blessed with powers of true magic, as magic should have been before it was fouled with darkness.  It became their destiny to hunt demons, to eradicate evil from the land.  Many were lost in battles with demons, but they fought on doggedly.  Some succumbed to evil as Morgoth had and became warlocks.  Despite the heavy toll taken on their kind, the witches managed to endure through many generations. 

Their children learned their craft in order to carry on the task given by the Valar so many ages ago, and their children, in turn, did the same until the memories of the olden days were little more than vague whispers of the past.  The need to fight the Shadow and all that it stood for became part of their blood, and the line of witches survived many eons, though with each generation their powers became weaker and their numbers less. 

The traitors of their kind, the warlocks, wreaked havoc across the land, and the connection with these evil-doers, combined with fear born out of the ignorance of those who did not understand magic, caused witches to became feared, hated, and mistrusted among other peoples.  They were burned at the stake, hunted, and prosecuted, until finally, they were forced to hide their identities.  Eventually, they were forgotten as the world changed.  They protected the innocent and often gave their own lives to counter evil, but always in the shadows were these deeds done.  Their acts went unnoticed, and soon the world forgot that demons and warlocks existed, and even magic became no more than whimsical tales out of bedtime stories. 

But the witches fought on still. 

Then a prophecy was made that three sister witches would be born, powerful enough to defeat all evil and put the world at peace.  Piper, Phoebe, and Prue Halliwell were these witches, and became known as the Charmed Ones.  They lived through many things that would have torn anyone else apart.  All seemed lost when the oldest sister died, but the Power of Three was resurrected by another, their half-sister, Paige Mathews, and so the prophecy still lived.  By a chance quirk of fate, however, the middle sister was killed, and the Power of Three was shattered once again, this time permanently.  The prophecy had not been fulfilled.  Now it was up to their children to carry on the legacy.  This is their story. . .

She still remembered it clearly.  She could picture every moment from the day it all started.  The memories were undimmed, as distinct as the instant it happened and forever branded in her mind.  She had buried it all such a long time ago, and now, as she brought them up back from the seemingly fathomless depths of time, they were still there, painful in the sudden remembrance and the clarity of the details, as it is painful for one who has shielded himself from the daylight for some time to step into the blinding light.

Sometimes she thought that if she had not followed him through the portal it might not have happened.  Sometimes she thought that it might have been better if it hadn't.

For the pain of it would never leave her. 

There had been good times, too, she reminded herself quickly, as if remembering them could dim out the bad ones.  She had learned a lot – about herself, about so many other things.  But now. . .now she would gladly trade all that for what she had lost in the process of learning those things. 

She sat silently as she had done so many times before, swaying slowly back and forth in the creaky rocking armchair in a dusty attic.  In her wrinkled hands, she grasped a small object so tightly that her bony fingers turned white.  She kept with her through the years this bittersweet treasure.  A grimy window was at her back, coated in layers of filth that obscured the sunlight.  She could hear the laughing and shouts of children playing down in the streets, and she envied them so for they had what she had lost. 

She did not move, but she closed her eyes, and in doing so, set her mind free to wander back to the days of her youth.  The events that had taken place along the way grew clearer in her worn mind like pictures being fine tuned into focus.  She flipped through the memories like a book, until she found what she was looking for. 

A frosty autumn morning that should have been the start of a wonderful vacation.  The day that started her out on a journey in which she had lost and gained so much.

She stopped at that point and allowed everything to replay themselves in her mind like a movie as she watched.  The old attic faded into black and she was in another setting entirely.  She was in a different time and place now.  The years had rewinded themselves almost half a century and she was a girl again in her mind.

Ch. 1: More Than Meets the Eye

Angelyn Halliwell, soon to be 19 in a few short months, defied all definitions of the term 'normal.' Nothing had ever been normal for her, she hadn't ever gone for a whole month without killing off a 'bad guy,' as she would have said as a child. No, not 'bad guys' as in computer game aliens or monsters, but real ones that constantly threatened an all-too-ignorant world.

They were demons and warlocks, foul beings she, and others like her, relentlessly hunted, or sometimes the other way around. It had been so since the creation of humankind, and would no doubt continue until one side succumbed to the other in its entirety.

She was a Charmed One, along with her older brother and sister. It was a gift and honor, but sometimes a curse as well. It was not something they had asked for, nor was it even something fate had determined for them. Angelyn's mother, Phoebe, had been a Charmed One as well, though when she died, the role was passed on to her children. Phoebe's death was not something destined to happen, so nor was Angelyn destined to become a Charmed One in her mother's place. But her duty now was to protect the innocent and to maintain the balance of good and evil in the world.

Together, they fought whatever evil decided to throw their way, sometimes barely scraping through close shaves, cheating death on other occasions. But today, at least, would a vacation, a time out from the stress of being a witch. Today, she would be just like any other high school senior on Thanksgiving Break and take a break off from her demon-hunting. Her homework was finished and her books were in the closet for dust to accumulate on over the break. Nothing could go wrong – or so she thought.

Her sister, Kendall, and her brother Adrian were both home from college for the Thanksgiving Break. Adrian was the oldest at the age of twenty-two, and Kendall was twenty.

And it made her feel a little easier knowing that they were home, though she felt slightly ashamed of it. She had had several run-ins with demons who decided that the youngest Halliwell would prove easy prey in the absence of the older two Charmed Ones. Mostly, it was Wyatt who stepped in and saved her, and it humiliated her for being so dependent on her Whitelighter/cousin. Supposedly, she was one of the most powerful witches in the world, and she couldn't even handle a lower level demon without her Whitelighter coming to her rescue.

(A/N: A Whitelighter is a guardian angel that watch over and guide good people. Wyatt is not actually a true Whitelighter, because he is half Whitelighter and half witch, but because he acts as a guardian for Angel and her siblings, he is considered as one, at least in my story anyway. )

Adrian and Kendall knew nothing of those encounters. If they had, Angelyn doubted that either of them would go back to college. As much as she hated to admit it, Angel knew that she wasn't as experienced in magic as Adrian or Kendall, nor could she control her powers as easily. She had also been extremely late to come into her powers as a child as well. It was only when she was almost seven that her first powers began to show, unlike Wyatt, who showed his abilities before he had even been born, or Kendall, who learned use her first power, telekinesis, at two.

It was a crisp Saturday morning, chilly as well, Angel could see, from the frost forming on the windows. She planned on getting to the humane center where she worked early, for some time alone with the strays, and then the rest of the day hanging out with friends and having fun. She left a brief note on the counter, where it was sure to be found, stating where she was going and that she would be back for lunch, before stepping out into the frigid November morning.

Angel wasn't as tall as many other people her age, nor was she short enough for her height to be noticed or to be labeled a midget. She had straight black hair that reached down to the middle of her back and vivid royal blue eyes. . . her mom used to say that she looked just like Aunt Prue. No one would ever tell by looking at her that she was more than what met the eye.

Angel walked through the lawn onto the sidewalk, gazing up at a feeble sun peering out from behind a veil of clouds as she approached the woods. One of these days she was going to drag Kendall, Adrian, and Wyatt out of their spell books and force them to spend a little family time together.

The animal center where she worked part time was not far from the house. She laughed softly as she asked herself why she didn't quit the job. With the exception of her dog Comet, all animals seemed to instinctively hate her, but she held nothing against them. But she needed a job, and the Humane Center needed workers. . . and that was how it turned out.

She rounded a street corner and walked into the alley that she used for a shortcut. She paced through the dark abandoned alleyway for a moment before she began to feel a sickening sensation in the pit of her stomach. The feeling that she was not alone. And she couldn't shake it, no matter how many times she tried to tell herself that it was just a product of her imagination. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end, and Angel found herself closing her fist over the handle of the switchblade in her pocket. A low growl reached her ears, barely audible. Angel whirled around and bit back a cry of shock at what stood before her – a demon. His face was blood red with black streaks on his forehead, cheeks, chin, and around his eyes, and his ears were pointed

He held up a fireball in his hand and grinned as he approached Angel. "A Charmed One, I can only presume."

"And what is it to you?" Angel asked cautiously, eyeing the dancing flames with apprehension.

"You know very well what I want."

And she did. It was the same with every demon she had encountered. He wanted her powers, and to break the Power of Three.

The demon threw the fireball at her. Angel barely had time to think before she dodged it. She flung her own fireball at him, but he held his hand out before it reached him and sent it back at her. This time, he caught her off guard and Angel was hurled to the ground roughly. '_Hit by my own attack_', thought Angel miserably. She got up as the demon approached and flashed her hand out to unleash her exploding power. The demon growled in pain and fury, clutching his shoulder as dark reddish-black blood seeped out between his fingers.

"You'll pay for that, witch!" he hissed before turning to escape.

"Hey! I'm not done yet!" said Angel, rather foolishly, about to run after him. Strange, she thought, that a demon like this would retreat after such a minor injury. A circle of spiraling golden light appeared out of nowhere before the demon, suspended in mid-air.

'_A portal? To where?_'

The demon stepped through the portal and disappeared in the blinding light. Angel debated on whether she should follow. But the portal was starting to close, and Angel made a split second rash decision. She sprinted and vaulted in.

The next thing she knew, Angel was thrown to the ground. She groaned and lifted herself up. The portal had taken them to a forest of some kind. Angel looked up and saw the demon running in front of her. She forced herself into a sprint, trying to ignore the protest of her aching body. It wasn't long, however, before she lost him in the trees.

Angel knelt on the forest floor to catch her breath, cursing. The demon had escaped, and she had no idea where she was. For all she knew, she could have been taken to China. And worse, she could barely walk because of the pain in her stomach where her own fireball had hit her. '_Of all places he could have hit me . . . it had to be where I've already been bruised by the last demon._'Angel stroked her midriff, and by the sharp stings, she knew that it would be black and blue by tomorrow.

She had no clue where she was, she didn't know how to get back, and she had internal bleeding.

Kendall fought to keep down her rising panic. It was nearly nightfall, and Angel was nowhere to be found. She had left a note saying that she had gone to work at the humane center, but even so, she should have come home hours ago. Wyatt and Adrian were out looking for her, and Kendall was trying to locate her with a crystal and a map of New York City and scrying.

(A/N: Scrying is a method that witches can use to locate people or places. This involves having a map spread out before you, and dangling a quartz crystal over the map and concentrating on what you are searching. The crystal will pull towards its location. Sometimes it is helpful to hold a cherished possession to help with concentrating.)

She paused for a while and set down the crystal pendant, moaning in her frustration. Her arm was sore from dangling the crystal over the map. She looked down at the CD collection in her lap. Why was this not working? Was it because the CD collection was not important enough to Angel? If not, what else was important to Angel? Kendall searched through her mind. Angel's reports cards? Her photo album? Kendall gave a tired sigh and looked around the room. Her gaze rested on Angel's golden retriever, Comet, who was sitting at the doorway, whining. '_That's it! Angel absolutely adores that dog!_'Kendall put aside the CD's and called, "Here, Comet. Come here."

Comet walked over to where Kendall was sitting, cocking her head to one side.

"OK, Comet, you're going to help me find Angel," said Kendall, hoisting the dog up onto her lap with great difficulty.

Comet barked at the mention of her master's name.

"Let's try this one more time." Kendall picked up the crystal again and suspended it over the map, careful not to overlook any part of the city. She swayed it back and forth slowly. Nothing was happening.

"OK, then she's not in New York." Kendall folded up the map and tossed it aside. She riffled through an atlas that was lying on the table and opened it to a map of North America. Kendall held up the pendent once more and swung it over the map. It still was not working. "And she's not on this continent either."

With a frustrated sigh, she turned the page to a map of the world. A few minutes later, Kendall felt that she was getting nowhere. She had searched through every continent and ocean without any luck. _What the hell is going on?_

Her panic flared sharply as she considered another possibility that she had been trying to ignore. Could Angel possibly be in another world? But what reason could there be for anyone to want to take Angel to another world?

There was a flash of brilliant blue and white light as Adrian orbed into the kitchen. Her brother was tall, with a strong build and handsome in a grim sort of way with his black hair that kicked up in the front, overshadowing his hazel eyes. With a rough smile that could charm a snake and his relaxed but vigilant stance,

"Any luck?" he asked anxiously as he walked towards Kendall.

Kendall turned around in her chair and looked up at her brother. He was pretty tall. Comet jumped off her lap and bounded off. "No. How 'bout you?"

Adrian shook his head.

"Adrian, I don't even think that Angel is in this plane," said Kendall.

"I don't think so either. I can't sense her."

"So what do we do?"

"Call Wyatt and ask him to talk to the Elders," suggested Adrian.

Kendall nodded once. "Good idea. Wyatt!"

Wyatt suddenly appeared out of a cloud of blue-white light. "Angel isn't on Earth," he said breathlessly.

"We know," sighed Kendall. "Go up to the Elders and tell them what happened. Maybe they can help us find her."

Wyatt orbed out of the kitchen and Kendall cupped her hands under her chin. "So now what do we do?"

"Wait."

They waited several minutes in tense silence, neither speaking to the other, though they shared the same worries. Adrian paced the room, a frown etched on his face. Finally, there was the blaze of light and Wyatt reappeared, looking troubled. Adrian stopped walking and looked at him expectantly. Wyatt did not look at him or Kendall. He stared at the floor.

"What did the Elders say?" demanded Adrian.

"They say that Angel has been taken to a different realm."

Kendall stood up abruptly, ignoring the maps that flew in all directions. "So she is in a different world?"

"No," replied Wyatt. "Angel is still on earth, but she is in a different time realm."

"So she has traveled to the past or the future?" asked Adrian.

"The past." Wyatt looked up at last and his face was clouded with worry. "The Elders told me that she in earth as it would have been a couple thousand years ago. When our world was called 'Middle-earth'."

"So how do we get her back?"

Wyatt did not answer Adrian's question.

"Wyatt?"

"We can't."

There was an uncomfortable silence.

"_What?!_" cried Adrian. He looked over at his sister. Kendall didn't say anything. She just looked disturbed. He didn't understand how his sister could stay so cool in situations like this.

"The Elders believe that it is best for her to stay."

"And why . . . ?"

Wyatt sighed and sank down into one of the chairs at the table. "Apparently, the demon Belthazor went back in time to Middle-earth so that he could change the past."

Kendall's face took on a look of disbelief. "But I thought Mom, Piper and Paige vanquished him."

"The Elders don't know how he came back, but he did, and with more power than before."

"Okay, but most demons want our powers, not to change what has already happened, so why is this one different?"

"His purpose is the same as all the others, but he's attacking you guys from a different angle." Wyatt ran a hand through his blonde hair and heaved a great sigh. "Apparently, he decided to go back to a time when there was some great war that would decide the fate of the world. Some Dark Lord named Sauron was trying to enslave the world or something like that."

Kendall raised an eyebrow. "Is this Belthazor demon powerful enough to change fate like that?"

"Believe me, he is," replied Wyatt.

"But how will that help him at getting our powers?"

"By allowing Sauron to enslave the world, Belthazor will turn our modern Earth into an enslaved realm."

"You still haven't answered my question."

"He wants to lure one of you there to prevent him from doing what he's trying to do. That would break the Power of Three and leave all of you vulnerable to attack by higher powers."

"Higher powers?"

"Belthazor serves the Source."

"If all three of us stay here, the Earth will be enslaved. If all three of us go to Middle-earth, we'll still have the Power of Three, but Earth will be left unprotected," said Adrian.

"And if we split up, the Power of Three will be broken and we'll get attacked by the Source and then the balance will shift to evil once he kills us and takes our powers," finished Kendall. "Whichever way we choose, we'll end up losing."

Wyatt looked over at her sympathetically and shook his head. "I know it seems that way, but you've always pulled through before."

Adrian suddenly disappeared in a collection of swirling blue and white light. Seconds later, he orbed back, carrying an old leather bound book in his arms – The Book of Shadows.

(A/N: The Book of Shadows is a book that has been in the family for generations. It contains descriptions of demons, warlocks, and other beings that witches know have existed. It also has potions and spells to vanquish them. The Book also has other miscellaneous stuff in it, so it's like a reference book to the Charmed Ones.)

The cover was green and timeworn, and on its cover was the triquetra symbol. He set it down on the table and flipped through yellowed pages of old script. Finally he stopped and pointed to the page. "This is it."

**Belthazor **  
  
_Both powerful and dangerous, this demonic Soldier of fortune has destroyed countless witches, innocents and demons. As sinister as he is intelligent, he is not to be trusted. Belthazor's known abilities include throwing energy balls and shimmering place to place, but his powers are probably not limited to these capabilities. Belthazor has a human form and, unlike most demons, he has a soul, which makes him a more powerful enemy because he understands humans better than most demons._

Kendall looked up from the page, trying to hide her panic. "This doesn't sound like an easy demon to vanquish."

"And the Book doesn't even have the full extent of his powers," added Adrian. "Wyatt, we have to get Angel out of Middle-earth. There is no way she can stop this demon without the Power of Three."

Wyatt shook his head resolutely. "We can't. Belthazor has already started his task in Middle-earth."

"And what good is it to keep Angel there if she can't fight him?" snapped Adrian in exasperation.

"Even if she can't fight Belthazor, at least she'll keep the balance from tilting to evil."

"But Middle-earth and our world are the same, just different time realms, so it wouldn't matter if Belthazor went back to the past, the balance would stay unchanged, wouldn't it?" asked Kendall.

"Do you have any idea what Belthazor is capable of?" replied Wyatt angrily. His patience had snapped and his voice was filled with frustration. "Belthazor was hand-picked by the Source himself to be in The Brotherhood of the Thorn. This is not some dim witted low-level demon we're dealing with here!"

"And do you just want us to leave our sister there so that he can kill her off?!" yelled Adrian in return. He was glaring at the Whitelighter with a look of pure rage.

"That's not what I'm saying! But how much of a chance do you think Middle-earth stands if Angel isn't there to counteract that demon?"

"But she can't fight him alone!"

"I would have thought that by now, you would have learned to stop babying her! You don't have to be so protective of her! She can take care of herself!"

There was a heavy silence following Wyatt's sudden outburst. Kendall could feel the tension in the air. And that wasn't all. She felt Adrian's anger at what Wyatt had said. She could feel the burning white-hot flames licking his insides. She looked back and forth between her brother and the Whitelighter, knowing that Adrian was restraining himself from tackling Wyatt. And for a while, she was consumed by the anger that her brother was feeling. She wanted to hurt Wyatt. But slowly, with a great effort, she mastered her feelings.

(A/N: Ok, if you haven't figured it out already, Kendall is an Empath, meaning that she can feel others' emotions and may even react to those feelings. And as you can see, Kendall does not yet have full control over her power.)

Wyatt knew that he had crossed the line. Slowly, he drew a shaky breath and said quietly, "I didn't mean that, Adrian."

"No, you're right," said Adrian. "She should be able to handle it." He walked over to where the Book lay on the table and orbed it back up to the attic. "I'm going to bed," he mumbled as he headed off towards the staircase without a backward glance.

After he was gone, Wyatt sighed and orbed out of the kitchen, leaving Kendall alone reeling from the combined emotions of Wyatt's guilt and sadness, and Adrian's anger and worry.

If you're willing to spare the time to drop off a review and tell me how you think I did, thank you. If not, well then, I hope you enjoyed the chapter!

Also, I am currently doing a rewrite, which this story really needs, and this chapter was revised, but not ch. 2. So if this chapter does not flow quite so smoothly into Ch. 2, that's why, and I am also aware of a plot hole in Ch. 2, resulted from the rewrite, which I will have fixed ASAP.


	2. Ch 2: Arrival at Rivendell

Ssam: I'm glad you like the story! I hope you'll stay with it!  And I'll try to explain their powers, demons, and stuff as I go for people who don't watch Charmed a lot.

Sarah: My very first reviewer!! you like how I crossed charmed and lotr? I seriously don't think that there are enough of those kind of stories out there.  And I know that Belthazor was dead, but let's just say he got resurrected, okay? 

Ch. 2

Arrival at Rivendell

Angel stirred in her sleep.  For a brief tantalizing moment she thought she was back in her bed at home.  Then the memory of what had happened came rushing back to her.  She sat up and opened her eyes, and stared dumbstruck at her surroundings.  She was in a large bed beneath the covers of a soft velvety blanket.  The room she was in was large and decorated with various pieces of beautifully carved furniture.  Beside the bed there was a tall nightstand and a table.  Somebody had cleaned her switchblade and put it there, but apparently they did not know how to retract the blade, because it was still out, glinting in the moonlight.  There was a balcony outside nearby supported by pillars wrapped with flowering vines and orchids.  The stars glittered in the blue-black sky.

_Where the hell am I?_  Angel leapt off the bed with a mounting feeling of confusion and fear.  Her jeans were rolled up to the knee on one leg, and her calf was bandaged with some soft white dressing.  She walked the length of the room, wincing in pain with every step.  She was limping, but with some effort she could conceal it.  Angel still had on her pullover, but someone had taken off her shoes.  She turned her gaze toward the foot of the bed and saw that her sneakers were there.  There were also the half-healed cuts and bruises, but otherwise, she wasn't too badly hurt.

There was a loud click as the bedroom door suddenly opened.  Angel jumped and whirled around, holding out her hand as she prepared to vanquish another demon.  But it was not a demon that stepped over the threshold, it was a man – or was it?  He had long dark hair and was wearing a circlet of silver on his head.  He gave her the impression of someone stern, but powerful and was dressed in medieval-looking light purple robes.  Angel had an odd feeling that he was not completely human.  He saw her and smiled.  Angel lowered her hand.  Maybe he was not an enemy.  He said something in a strange, unintelligible language.  Angel stared at him quizzically. (A/N: No. . . this is NOT Elvish I'm talking about here.   Elrond is speaking Westron, which Angel does not understand b/c English and Westron are not the same thing.)

Angel just stared at him with a look that must have made her look like a befuddled toad.  If she was going to get anywhere around here, at the very least she had to understand what others were saying.  A translation spell would work nicely, but. . . did she know one?  She dug deep into her memory and tried to remember such a spell.  Under her breath, she muttered as quietly and indistinctly as she could, 

"_Please help me understand_

_This stranger from a distant land,_

_Come he far or come he near_

_Take our words, and make them clear._"

Elrond's sharp elven hearing picked up the incantation, though he understood none of it.  To him, Angel realized, it must have sounded like rambling.  '_Great_,' Angel thought glumly.  '_The first person I come across in this place, and he thinks I'm mad._'  Angel did not answer.  

Elrond repeated the statement.  "I see you have awaken."  

She watched him warily, not yet ready to call him a friend.  Her years of fighting evil had taught her to never trust too readily.  "Who are you, and what is this place?"

He walked towards her.  "I am Elrond, master of Imladris.  You are in Rivendell, city of the Elves." He gazed at her with gray eyes.  "Perhaps I may ask you who_ you_ may be."

"My name's Angel," she said.  "Um . . . what happened?"  But even as she was saying this, her mind was somewhere else.  Elves?  But Elves were only about the size of Dwarves, and this man was the same height as any human.  And where was Rivendell?  She had seen a lot of strange stuff as a Charmed One, but she wasn't ready to buy that one yet.  

"My scouts found you unconscious in the forest and brought you here into the refuge of Rivendell."  

Angel blinked.  Middle-earth?  Elves?  Where was she?  Had she somehow been taken into another country?  What she wouldn't give now to be at home with Adrian, Kendall, and Wyatt.  They would be worried sick by now.

Elrond had been watching her with concern.  Perhaps the head injury had affected her memory.  She had an expression as if she did not understand anything he had said.  "Where are you from, my child?" 

Angel frowned.  She was eighteen and could hardly be called a child anymore.  "New York City."

"New York City?  And where may that be?."

"It's in America."  

"I have never heard of such a place."  

"You've never heard of the America?" asked Angel incredulously.  What kind of a place had people who had never heard of America?  "You know, the United States, land of the free, home of the brave?"

Elrond smiled amusedly.  "Home of the brave, is it?  Such a land is unheard of among those who inhabit these areas." 

Suddenly a tall man walked into the room.  He resembled Elrond, and Angel guessed that they must have been related.  He had those same gray eyes, the long dark hair, and the proud way he held himself.  He turned his gaze toward Angel.  "Welcome to Rivendell.  How fare you, my Lady?"  

 "I'm fine, thanks.  I'm Angelyn Halliwell, Angel for short," she said with a slight blush.  No one had ever called her "Lady" before.  And coming from a cute stud like him too. But at least it was better than "my child."

"I am Elrohir.  It is good to see that you are well."  He looked at Elrond.  "Ada, may I escort the Lady Angel to the dining hall?"

"Very well," said Elrond as he turned towards the balcony opposite the bedroom door.  

Angel bent down and tugged on her sneakers. Elrohir held the door open for her and offered her his hand.  

Angel put her hand in his and murmured a soft thank-you.  She was unused to such courtesy from a guy.  '_If only the guys back home were as civil . . ._'Wyatt could certainly learn a lot about being a gentleman from this Elrohir.  '_Or as hot . . ._'

They were walking down the halls of Rivendell.  Angel gazed around in amazement at the place Elrond and Elrohir called Rivendell.  She had never known a place so serene and beautiful.  

"How old are you, Lady Angel?"  

"I'm eighteen."

"Only eighteen years old?" laughed Elrohir. 

Angel looked at him, slightly puzzled.  "Yes, why?"

"Eighteen is no age for a child of the Edain to wander off on her own without companion or weapon," said Elrohir.  

Elrohir himself looked hardly more than twenty.  "How old are _you_, then?"  

"I am over two thousand years old."

Angel smiled skeptically.  "Two thousand years old?  _Right_ . . . How old are you really?"

"I do not aim to ensnare you in a falsehood," insisted Elrohir.  

Angel had to take a few seconds to translate what he had said into normal English.  "Uh-huh.  And I suppose you're immortal as well?" 

Elrohir nodded.  

 Angel just stared.  Elrohir was not showing any signs that he was joking.  She was ready to tell him to stop kidding around with her when she realized that it was not altogether impossible.  One of the hardest demons she, Adrian, Wyatt, and Kendall had ever vanquished was an immortal devil from the underworld.  Knowing how stupid she would sound if Elrohir was teasing, she asked "Really?"

"Yes.  All Elves are immortal."

Angel did not respond.  She was beginning to suspect that she had been transported much farther than she had thought.  "Am I still on Earth?"

"Earth?"  Elrohir turned to her with a confused look.  "We reside in Middle-earth."

The color drained out of her face.  "_I'm not even still on Earth?_" she asked with a feeling of dread.  "_Are you telling me I'm in another world?_"  '_How the hell did this happen?  How was that demon able to create a portal to another world?_'

Despite her panic, Angel tried to keep a level head.   As they resumed their walk, she took a deep breath.  She was in a world called Middle-earth with Orcs and Elves.  There was a demon loose and she had no idea how to get back home.  She would orb if she could, but it was Wyatt and Adrian who had that power.  And unless Wyatt or Adrian could hear her from a world away and orb her back home, she could be stranded here forever.  Or unless they could obtain a spell to find her.  And she was sure that they could.  So all she had to do was to wait until they found that spell.  Angel sighed.  Today was supposed to be a chance to be 'normal' and it had all backfired in her face.

"Is everything all right?" asked Elrohir with concern.

"Yes.  I got attacked by a bunch of . . . of _orcs_ and I got transported into another world, but yes, I'm okay.  I've never been better," said Angel in an unnaturally high voice.  If she wasn't a witch she would have freaked, but being attacked by the forces of evil every week had taken away most of the shock.  

They walked in silence for a few moments.  A group of Elves passed them, speaking in a flowing, almost musical, language that Angel assumed could only be Elven.  They halted and looked at Angel with mild curiosity.  Angel noticed that they were all pretty good-looking.  _Are all Elves hot or something?  _

One of them smiled at Elrohir.  "Greetings, Elrohir.  The Lady has recovered, I take it?"

"Yes, Lindir.  We shall see you in the Hall of Fire after dinner and our tour," answered Elrohir.  

Angel forced a smile.  "Hi.  My name's Angel."

"I am Lindir.  Welcome, Lady Angel, to Rivendell."  Lindir looked at her with light blue eyes.  "Enjoy your meal and tour."

Angel said her thanks and bye as they left.  It was nice to be in a place where everyone was so welcoming, but she still missed New York.  And yet she tried to forget the fact that she had been thrown violently into another world.  Wyatt, Kendall, and Adrian would find her somehow, she assured herself.  They would be frantic once they found she was missing.  Or maybe they had already found out.  "How long how I been asleep, Elrohir?"

Elrohir was glad that she was not sounding too distressed.  But perhaps that was because she was still in shock.  "Since morning you have slept, Lady Angel."

Angel opened her mouth to reply, but her stomach gave a very audible growl.  Angel blushed scarlet with embarrassment.  In the light of everything that had happened, she had forgotten that she hadn't eaten all day.  

But Elrohir smiled.  "I see that you are hungry.  We are not far from the dining hall."  

Seconds later, the hallway opened up to a great room.  Elegant tables and chairs filled the room beneath tapestries hanging from the ceiling.  The entire right side of the dining hall was open to the starry night, extending outwards like a balcony.  But it was the Elves that amazed her the most.  They seemed to be surrounded by a golden aura that she could see out the corners of her eyes, though every time she tried to get a closer look, it seemed to disappear.  And Angel was puzzled by it.  Auras were the soul energy that every human possessed.  Its strength was determined by the amount of goodness a person created.  But auras weren't visible, in any case, not normally.  But seeing it helped her relax a bit.  At least she could be sure now that these Elves weren't evil, though she had never believed that they were.   

Elrohir led her onto the balcony, greeting many of the Elves as they passed.  They approached a table close to the rim of the balcony, and Angel felt her anxiety ebb a little.  Apparently, she wasn't the only one who was not an Elf.  There was an old man with a long grey beard and white hair, sitting beside four beings who were distinctly shorter than all the others.  There were other Elves, one of whom Angel recognized: Elrond.  There was also another Elf who looked a lot like Elrohir.  Wait. . . he looked almost identical to Elrohir. . . 

Elrohir noticed her bewildered glance at Elladan and smiled.  He walked over to his brother and placed a hand on his shoulder.  "This is my brother, Elladan.  It is my pleasure to introduce you to the Lady Angel.  To his left is my father, Elrond, as you already know.  Seated across from him is Peregrin Took, Meriadoc Brandybuck, Frodo Baggins, and Sam Gamgee," he said, indicating to the four short beings.  "And beside Sam is Mithrandir, or more commonly known as Gandalf."

"Um. . . hi!" said Angel meekly.  She wasn't exactly sure what she was supposed to say. 

This was more awkward than when she had been introduced in the front of the class when she had transferred to Central Park High School.  Elrohir pulled out the chair beside Peregrin and Angel took her seat, breathing a small sigh of relief as one by one, the curious looks receded and conversation resumed at the table.  Elrohir sat down beside his brother.  Peregrin and Meriadoc turned to her with cheerful grins.  

"Hello miss.  I'm Peregrin Took, but I generally go by Pippin, or even Pip," said one of them.

"You can call me Merry," said the other.  

"I'm Angel," replied Angel.  She smiled, glad that these two, at least, were friendly and not quite as stiflingly formal as the Elves.  

"Angel," repeated Pippin.  "It is a strange name –" he faltered at a sharp jab in the ribs from Merry.  "– but a good one," he added hastily.  

Angel laughed.  "I know that it's not a name that most parents would name their kids, but my parents were never really the type to go by the traditional way of doing things."

Pippin noticed that she used 'were' instead of 'are', but he bit back his question.  

Two hours later . . .

Angel lay in bed, exhausted but feeling more content than she had in a long time, despite the fact she was in a strange world and didn't have so much as an inkling as to how to get back.  Elrohir had escorted Angel back to the room after the meal and a brief tour of his home.  He told her that she could stay in that room now, and to ask him if she needed anything.  

Rivendell was by far the most beautiful place she had ever seen.  Building it must have been an enormous task, a feat that not even the architects of the World Trade Center could brag about.  Rivendell was in perfect harmony with nature.  The Elven city was built into the walls of a valley, surrounded by cascading waterfalls and lush vegetation.  And the way the silvery starlight seemed to soak the entire city with its eerie radiance gave it a surreal and dreamlike quality. . . 

The evening had been nothing short of fascinating.  She was in the company of beautiful, immortal beings with auras so strong that they could be seen.

And she had also been invited to some sort of council tomorrow.  Angel frowned slightly.  From the way they talked about it, this council seemed to be of great importance.  It was Gandalf the wizard who had invited her, and she could easily tell that Elrond and the others did not understand why.  And they were right.  Why would Gandalf invite her to such an important meeting?  She had been in this world for less than day; what business could she have in their troubles?

But Angel pushed the question aside as she began to feel the onslaught of slumber.  She could sort that all out tomorrow.


	3. Ch 3: The Council of Elrond

To my reviewers:

Songbreeze1125:  Thanx for the reviews (both of them), and for telling about my posting error.  I'll fix that as soon as I can.  :)  Anyway, glad you liked the story, and I hope that you'll keep on reading (and reviewing)!!!!

anon:  Glad you enjoyed the story.  Stick it please, and keep on reviewing! 

Lauren: thanx for the review.  I'm a genius?  Really?  I don't plan on leaving the story unchanged though.  I'll be editing and revising stuff over and over again.  Anyway, I'm glad you like the story.  

Actress-Anales-4: hey, thanx for the review.  Don't worry, Angel is fine. . . but will get a little pissed in this chapter at a certain blonde guy from Gondor coughBoromircough for being sexist. . . anyway, stick with the story please and thanx again.  

And I know that Wyatt is half whitelighter, half witch, so he should be a witch and can't really be a true whitelighter for the Charmed Ones, but let's just say he is, okay?  Besides, my fanfic, my rules.  

Here it is: the predictable chapter that everyone knows by heart.  I'll be going by the movie version since it's a bit more interesting and a lot shorter than in the book.

Ch. 3

The Council of Elrond

The next morning Angel was sitting at the council.  On either side of her was Elrohir and a woodland Elf who had introduced himself to her as Legolas, son of  Thranduil, the King of Mirkwood.  This Elf added to her uneasiness.  He was way too hot for her comfort.  

Angel sat uncomfortably aware that many of the people at the council were looking at her with curiosity.  And she knew what they must all be wondering.  She herself did not have the slightest clue why Gandalf wanted her here at such an important meeting.  Angel looked up and saw that a tall man with shoulder length blonde hair was watching her.  Their gazes locked for a few seconds until he turned away, embarrassed.  Angel compressed an irritated sigh.  Another sexist pig.  Typical.

"Strangers from distant lands.  Friends of old.  You have been summoned to answer to the threat of Mordor.   Middle-earth stands upon the brink of destruction.  None can escape it.  You will unite or you will fall. Every race is bound to this fate – this one doom."  Elrond looked over to Frodo, one of the hobbits Angel had met last night at dinner.  "Bring forth the Ring, Frodo."

Frodo rose from his seat, his fist clutching something.  He set a gold Ring on a stone pedestal at the center of the circle of chairs. 

Angel raised an eyebrow and bit her lip to overcome the impulse to laugh.  This council was about a gold _ring_?  But apparently, this ring seemed to have a greater effect on the rest of the council members, because they began to whisper among themselves.  

The sexist pig stood up with a strange, almost hungry, glint in his eyes.  "It is a gift.  A gift to the foes of Mordor!  Why not use this Ring?  Long has my father, the Steward of Gondor, kept the forces of Mordor at bay, by the blood of my people!  Are you lands kept safe.  Give Gondor the weapon of the enemy.  Let us use it against him!"  

Angel still couldn't understand why this little piece of tacky jewelry played such an important role.  

A man with dark shoulder length hair replied, "You cannot wield it.  None of us can.  The One Rings answers to Sauron alone.  It has no other master."

'_I wonder who Sauron is_," thought Angel.  '_Sounds sort of like the Source._'

The son of the Steward turned to him, a slight look of contempt on his face.  "And what would a Ranger know of this matter?"

Beside her, the Prince of Mirkwood stood up.  "This is no mere Ranger.  He is Aragorn, son of Arathorn.  You owe him your allegiance."

Boromir's voice carried a trace of sneering as he said, "Aragorn?  This. . . is Isildur's heir?"

"And heir to the throne of Gondor," added Legolas.

Aragorn sighed and said, "Havo dad, Legolas."

The Elf hesitated a moment, then took his seat.

"Gondor has no king."  Boromir looked over at Aragorn before sitting back down.  "Gondor needs no king."

"Aragorn is right.  We cannot use it," agreed Gandalf.

Elrond had a stern look on his face.  "Then you have only one choice.  The Ring must be destroyed."

One of the Dwarves rose from his seat and strode toward the Ring purposefully with a battle axe in hand.  "Then what are we waiting for?  Yaaaaah!"  He brought down the axe on the Ring, but was suddenly thrown backwards to the ground.  The axe shattered to pieces.

One of the axe shards came flying towards Angel.  She threw her arms up to shield herself, and the shard suddenly stopped in midair.  She had frozen it by accident.  Angel's heart stopped.  If anyone had seen. . . She looked around to see if anyone had noticed the piece of metal suspended in midair, but everyone's concentration was on the Ring.  Angel breathed a sigh of relief, plucked the shard out of the air and let it drop to the ground with a dull clatter.  She then turned her attention to the Ring, and drew a sharp intake of air.  It was unscathed.  How had that happened?  It should have been smashed to pieces.

The calm voice of Elrond shook her out of her thoughts.  "The Ring cannot be destroyed, Gimli, son of Glóin, by any craft we hold here.  It was made in the fires of Mount Doom.  Only there it can be unmade.  It must be taken deep into Mordor and cast back into the fiery chasm from whence it came.  One of you must do this."  

Silence followed Elrond's statement.  Finally, Boromir's scornful reply broke the quiet.  "One does not simply walk into Mordor.  Its Black Gates are guarded by more than just orcs.  There is evil there that does not sleep, and the great Eye is ever watchful.  It is a barren wasteland riddled with fire, ash, and dust.  The very air you breath is poisonous fumes.  Not with ten thousand men could you do this.  It is folly."

"Have you heard nothing Lord Elrond has said?  The Ring must be destroyed!" retorted Legolas.

"And I suppose you think you're the one to do it!" snapped Gimli the Dwarf.

"And if we fail, what then?  What happens when Sauron takes back what is his?" asked Boromir irately.

.

"I will be dead before I see the Ring in the hands of an Elf!" Gimli sneered.  

The Dwarf's snide comment had a chaotic effect on the Elves at the council.  They stood up and began shouting, ignoring Legolas who tried to keep them back. 

"Never trust an Elf!"

The rest of the council with the exception of Frodo, Elrond, and Angel, leapt to their feet and started arguing amongst themselves.  Elrond shook his head wearily, while Frodo stared at the Ring with an almost pained look on his face.

Finally, he left his chair and walked forward.  "I will take it!"

At first no one seemed to hear him.  

"I will take it!" repeated Frodo, this time louder. 

The arguing ceased all at once as everyone stared at the hobbit incredulously.  

"I will take the Ring to Mordor."  He paused before saying, "Though. . . I do not know the way."

Gandalf walked over to Frodo, placing a hand on his shoulder sympathetically.  "I will help you bear this burden, Frodo Baggins, as long as it is yours to bear."

Aragorn walked forth.  "If by my life or death I can protect you, I will."  The heir of Isildur knelt down.  "You have my sword."

Legolas stepped over to the hobbit.  "And you have my bow."

"And my axe," added Gimli.

Boromir of Gondor joined the group. "You carry the fates of us all, little one.  If this is indeed the will of the Council, then Gondor will see it done."

From behind a clump of bushes, a small figure sprang forth.  "Hey!  Mr. Frodo's not going anywhere without me!"  It was Sam Gamgee.

 Elrond was wearing a wry smile.  "No indeed.  It seems hardly possible to separate the two of you, even when he is summoned to a secret meeting and you are not."

"Wait!  We're coming too!"  Merry and Pippin ran out from behind a pair of pillars.  "You'll have to send us home tied up in a sack to stop us from going!"

"Besides, you need people of intelligence on this sort of mission . . . quest. . . thing," added Pippin.

"Well that rules you out, Pip."

"Nine companions. . . so be it.  You shall be the Fellowship of the Ring."

"Wait."  Gandalf walked over to Angel.  "I would like to make one addition to this fellowship."  He looked down at Angel.  "The Lady Angel shall be joining us on this quest."

It took a few seconds for the words to sink in.  "I – join – _what?!_" shrieked Angel.  "You want _me_ to go with them?"  She looked at Elrond for support.

Elrond was frowning.  "I do not perceive why Gandalf asks a lady to go on a dangerous quest.  After all, she is only a girl of eighteen, not even full grown yet."

'_Hey, I'm legally an adult_,' thought Angel with annoyance.  

Boromir stood up angrily.  "She is not even of age yet!  Do you mean to send a maiden of this age on a mission that is near hopeless?"

'_Sexist_,' thought Angel irritably.

Many of the people who had before been listening quietly now rose up to speak in outrage.

Gandalf waited patiently for everyone to quiet down and explained carefully, "You will all understand my decision in due time, but that is not now.  Angel has more to her than meets the eye, do I not speak truly?"

Angel gaped and did not answer.  Did Gandalf know about her powers?  If he did, how did he ever find out?

"Gandalf, I question the purpose of this request," said Elrond. "yet I trust your judgment.  But be aware that you are risking the Quest and the fate of Middle-earth.  I would ask now why you chose a lady of eighteen summers, of all the great warriors of Middle-earth, to join the Fellowship, but I deem it be useless to ask."

"Okay, I haven't the slightest clue why you want me to go with the Fellowship," said Angel. "I have never touched a sword or bow in my life.  I've never even seen one up close until lately.  I can't fight!"

"And yet you were able to ward off a band of Orcs on your own with a small knife," said Elrohir. 

Angel blushed furiously.  "Yeah, okay, I did.  But that was just random stabbing, you know?"  She looked over at Gandalf.  "And I do not have more to me than meets the eye," she lied through her teeth. 

Gandalf merely smiled.

Kendall riffled through the Book of Shadows until she found what she was looking for.  "Okay, I've got it.  The spell to go back in time."  She looked at her brother and Wyatt.  They were sitting at the same table, but glaring in opposite directions.  Ever since last night, they had been ignoring each other.

Kendall sighed and said, "Hey, you guys, I've got enough on my hands without you two doing the silent treatment to each other."

Wyatt looked at her sweetly and said, "You found it?"

Kendall rolled her eyes.  Both of them were willing to talk to her, but not to each other.  "Will you two just quite being so pigheaded and cooperate?  We are not going to get anywhere like this."

Wyatt took no notice of her comment.  "Okay, let's go then.  But remember the promise."

"I know, I know," said Kendall sharply.  The Elders had made them promise that they wouldn't try to take Angel back.  And they could only stay long enough to tell Angel what was going on and decide who was going to stay in Middle-earth.  It wasn't safe leaving earth without at least one of the Charmed Ones for too long.

Being forced to promise not to take his sister back had only exacerbated Adrian's anger. 

Wyatt and Adrian stood up and walked over to Kendall, who was holding the Book in her arms, carefully avoiding eye contact.

Together, they recited the incantation:

_A time for everything  
  
_

_And to everything its place.  
  
_

_Return what has been moved  
  
_

_Through time and space_

Their surroundings were shifting.  Soon they were no longer standing on the wooden floor in the kitchen, but in a wild forest.  Kendall looked around at the trees, still grasping the Book of Shadows.

"So where are we now?" she asked, turning to Wyatt.

"The question isn't where, it's when," replied Wyatt as he took in their surroundings.  "If the spell went right, then we should be in Middle-earth, in the same time realm as Angel is.  Now we just need to find her."

"We should have brought a map and crystal to scry with," said Adrian.  "Well I guess we have to do it the hard way now."

"No, even if we did have a map, it would be pretty useless.  It would be really outdated," said Kendall.  After a few seconds of thinking, she snapped her fingers.  "I've got it."  Kendall flipped through the Book and pointed to a spell on the top of the page.  

" 'Spell to Bring Oneself to a Sister'," read Adrian.  "Who knows, it might work."

_Lead me back from whence this came_

_Help me help my sister's pain._

The forest around them disappeared and the trio found themselves in a brightly lit room.  Leaning against the railing of a nearby balcony overlooking the valley stood Angel with her back towards them.

"Angel?"

Angel turned around.  Angel's expression was a look of wonder and slight confusion at first, but swiftly turned to ecstasy.  She ran and flung herself at them, squealing in delight.  

"You came!  You came!  You came!" she shrieked as she squeezed them all in a tight teddy bear hug.  

Kendall laughed.  One thing that had not changed for the last eighteen years was Angel's spontaneous outbursts.  "Hey chill, little sis." 

Angel pulled away at last, grinning from ear to ear.  "How did you do it?"

Kendall shrugged casually with a smile.  "Oh, just a simple spell to bring us to our sister."  

Wyatt looked around at the room in slight wonder.  "Where are we exactly?"

Angel sighed and ran a hand through her sleek jet black hair.  "I'm not sure how to explain this, but we're in a valley called 'Rivendell.'  In a world called 'Middle-earth.'"

Kendall and Adrian exchanged looks.  They had been right.  

"Rivendell?" asked Kendall.

Angel smiled brightly.  "That's what they call it."

"They?"

"The Elves."  Angel saw the perplexed look on their faces and added quickly, "They're nothing like the Elves back in our world, though."

Kendall raised an eyebrow.  "Who are these 'Elves', and why are you with them?"

Angel tilted her head to a side as her smile faded.  "Kendall, they're not evil.  They're like angels."

"And how do you know?" asked Kendall skeptically.

"I can _see _their auras."

Kendall, Wyatt, and Adrian stared.  

"I'm not kidding," insisted Angel.  "Besides, since we're in a different world, you have to consider the possibilities."

Kendall bit her lip.  "Angel, we're not in a different world."

"What do you mean?" 

"We are still on earth, just a couple thousand years into the past."

The youngest Halliwell didn't answer for a moment.  "In the past?  But how did that demon create a time portal out of thin air?" 

"The demon?  You mean Belthazor?" asked Kendall.  She waited until Angel nodded before going on.  "You saw him create a time portal?"

"Yeah, but I didn't know it was a time portal though."

Kendall fixed an icy stare at her younger sister as she asked suspiciously, "Angel, how come you saw him create a time portal?"

Angel blinked, not knowing where Kendall was getting at.  "Well, I was going to the humane center, and the demon attacked, and he tried to escape through the portal, and –"  Angel cut off abruptly, glancing at her sister.  Now she understood the purpose of Kendall's question.  

"And you _followed _him?" asked Kendall coolly.

Angel hesitated before nodding meekly.  One thing that she could never learn was to recognize Kendall's suspicious questions and hold her tongue before she ended up revealing something that would get her into trouble.  

Kendall sighed.  She wished Angel wasn't so reckless in her actions.  But she had a way of acting on spur-of-the-moment impulses.  "Angel, you need to know when to hold back."

Angel lowered her gaze to the floor.  Kendall wasn't the type to lose her temper.  She was far too calm a person for that.  But whenever she talked to Angel that way, it made her feel like she was five years old again.

"But even if she hadn't followed Belthazor, we would still have the same problem we do now," Adrian defended his sister.

Angel's head snapped up.  "What problem?"

Kendall waved her hand dismissively.  "Wyatt, why don't you answer that question?"

"Well, it seems that the demon Belthazor created a time portal to lure you into Middle-earth.  That would break the Power of Three in our realm, which would make it easier for them to attack any of you separately."

"So?  Then let's go back," said Angel as if this was the most obvious thing in the world.

"It's not that easy.  The time realm he decided to throw you in is when there was a war going on, and this war was going to decide whether the Dark Lord Sauron would enslave Middle-earth."

'_Sauron?  Aragorn mentioned him at the Council_.'

"Belthazor aims to twist fate by helping Sauron.  If he succeeds in changing the past, our world will be enslaved."

Angel opened her mouth, but Adrian, knowing what she was about to suggest, interjected. "And if one of us stays here to counter Belthazor, that would leave all three of us vulnerable, and without us, earth doesn't stand a chance."

"And if we all stay here, that would jeopardize our world," added Kendall.  

"There's one thing I think you guys should know," said Angel.  "I went to a council a few hours ago.  It was about the war and a ring.  I think that the ring is what will enable Sauron to enslave the world.  A fellowship was chosen to go on the quest to try to destroy it, and –"  Angel cast a quick glance at her sister.  "they want me to go with them."

Silence followed her statement.  

"Why?"

Angel shrugged, and remembered what Gandalf had said earlier.  "I don't know why, but one of them seems to know that I'm a witch."

Adrian looked at her intensely with hazel eyes.  "Why do you think that?" he asked sharply.      

Angel locked gazes with her brother.  "He was the one who suggested that I go with them.  And something he said makes me think that he knows about my powers."

Adrian's scathing look made her add hastily, "Hey, don't worry.  It's probably nothing."

"More often than not 'nothing' means a big something for us," replied Kendall.   

"There isn't really anything we _can_ do.  We haven't got much choice."   

Angel looked at each of them before asking meekly, "Well, since all the choices we have are equally bad and they want me to go, maybe I should just –"

"No," Adrian cut across her curtly.  

"Adrian, you're doing it again," Wyatt said without trying to hide his exasperation.

Adrian shot him a venomous look that would have paralyzed almost anyone else, but Wyatt was accustomed to his cousin's death glares.    

Angel looked from one to the other and tilted an eyebrow.  "Guys, what's going on?"

Adrian and Wyatt cast each other malicious looks, then glanced back at Angel, who seemed to have brought them back to reality.  

"Nothing," they muttered in unison.  

Angel turned to Kendall with a look that plainly read: "Is there something I should know?"

 Kendall shrugged and said, "This is something just between the two of them.  I think that we girls should stay out of this."

Angel nodded.  "Gotcha."  She adopted an expression of seriousness.  "So, as I was saying, since we don't have any better plan at the moment, maybe I should just go with the Fellowship and try to prevent whatever Belthazor aims to do."

Adrian scowled but said nothing.

"Now, Angel, under normal circumstances, I would tell you to put some more thought into a decision like this, but like you said, we haven't got a better plan of action," said Kendall as she crossed her arms.  "I'm not sure about this, there's so much at stake here."  

"When I was talking to the Elders, they told me that they wanted Angel to stay here," said Wyatt.  "And they say that they have a reason behind it, why they want her here out of the three of you."

"What, so you're saying that there's more at risk than the past, present, and future?"    

"According to the Elders, yes."

"Then I guess that makes the decision final," said Kendall pensively.  She knew that they were walking straight into a trap, but what else could they do?  "Angel, I want you to keep a low profile for a while here."

Angel looked confused.  "Why?"

"Don't do anything you can't explain," continued Kendall.  "We don't have a clue how the people here would react if they knew you are a witch.  They might treat you like a goddess or they might burn you alive."   

"Okay," said Angel.  Leave it to Kendall to think of these sort of precautions.  

"There's another reason as well."

Angel looked up.

"You don't want to attract the wrong kind of attention.   If Sauron finds out that you have powers that would aid him in reaching his goal, you'll have his whole army out to get you.  Use your powers as long as they don't expose you."  

The youngest Halliwell nodded gravely.   

"And Angel, think before you act.  I know you have a way of acting rashly," advised Kendall with a slight note of teasing at the end.  

A slight blush was the only answer she got.  

"And I think that concludes my lecture," Kendall finished.  "We'd better be getting back to the present," she said, flipping through the Book of Shadows.  She stopped on a page and her hazel eyes scanned through the words.  "We need a piece of paper and pen."

"Got it," said Adrian.  "Paper.  Quill," he called, holding out his hand.  A snowy white quill and piece of parchment disappeared off the night stand beside the bed in a flash of blue-white light and rematerialized in his palm.  He quickly scratched the words "November 26, 2026" on the paper and set the quill down.  He handed the paper to Kendall and cast a final look at Angel.  "Good luck, little sis." 

Kendall shifted the Book in her arms and held out the paper in front of Angel.  "A little assistance, please?"

"Yeah, sure."  Angel held out her hand as a red-orange fireball formed in her palm.  Kendall dipped a corner of the paper in the dancing flames and the paper caught fire.  As it burned she, Adrian, and Wyatt chanted the spell:

_Hear these words, hear this rhyme,_

_We send to you this burning sign._

_Then our future selves will find_

_In another place and time.    _

Angel sighed as they vanished.  She really wished that she hadn't been the one chosen for this mission, but there was no fighting it.  She picked the quill up and set it back on the night stand.  Then she lay down on the bed without bothering to change into one of the nightgowns that the Elves had left for her.  Living the life of a Charmed One never bored her.


	4. Ch 4: Stuck on an Insane Mission with a ...

Note:

Anything in the inverted commas '' is a character's thoughts.  

Thanks to the Reviewers:

My old reviewers!  You guys are my faithful readers!!  I love it when ppl come back for more. . . 

Actress-Anales-4:  Thanx again for the review.  Like I said, having Boromir fall for Kendall would be pretty difficult, and would make my decision on whether he should die or not nothing short of self-destructive.  And besides, having just one of the Charmed Ones fall in love with a guy who lived thousands of years in the past is enough of a temptation of fate.  But I'm glad you care enough about my story to give me suggestions.  You rock!  Oh yeah, and I'm eagerly awaiting your next chapter.  

Nikki: hehehe I thought it would be kinda funny to make Boromir sexist.  Do you know that you reviewed twice the exact same thing?  Oh well. . . maybe you double-clicked the review button or something.  But I'm glad you did!  

Nikki (and Margaret too): yes, for you guys, here's the fourth chapter.  Thanks for being so patient, and I hope you keep reviewing.  

Songbreeze1125:  yes, I did just add that last chapter on this morning.  My story is getting written pretty fast, doncha think?  Anyway, I'll do my best to keep the updates quick, but with midyear exams coming up, I can't make promises.  Tacky piece of jewelry?  Yes, it looks SO not like real gold in the movie.  And yes, I still have the hots for Leggy.  Who can one possibly get tired of those pointy ears and the pretty blond hair, not to mention how cute he looks shooting the bow & arrow?! looks menacingly at everyone who dares raise their hands

And my new reviewers!!

Salem:  thank you for the comment about Angel and thanx for reviewing and voting.   

Cindy:  glad you enjoyed this.  And have no fear, another chapter is coming up soon.  

xoulblade:  interesting name.  And thank you for voting.  Legolas you say?  Then Legolas it shall be.  

roos:  thanx for answering my question about whether or not males can be witches.  I thought that they might be, but wasn't sure and had no way of finding out.  Your answer confirmed what I thought.  I'm sorry, but the next chapter won't come out until I get the midterm exams out of the way, which are over next Friday.  And what should I do about the Boromir dying thing?  I have no clue.  One of the other reviewers said that his death is too important to be prevented.  Maybe I should have another vote on the topic? 

Levalyn:  I might have Angel save Boromir from becoming a pincushion and dying.  But I dunno.  You'll just have to read on to find out.  ; )

something301: As for the issue about Boromir's death, I am still not quite sure how I should deal with that, but I just hope everything works out well.  You are right about how important his death is, and having Angel save his life would also be pretty risky. I mean, changing the past would be dangerous since they don't have an idea how that would alter fate.  But thanx for reviewing, and I hope you come back to read more.  

Ch. 4

Stuck on an Insane Mission with a Hot Elf__

The Fellowship set out the next morning.  Angel was barely awake as she trudged out of the Elven city, oblivious to the curious looks the rest of the company were giving her.  She walked behind the Elf Legolas, thinking how she would so much rather be home right now, or even at Central Park High School with all her shrewish teachers.  

But no, she was on a mad quest to throw a piece of gold into a volcano.  She knew that Kendall, Adrian, and Wyatt would cover up for her, but she had a feeling that it would be more than just one or two days of school she would be missing.  Angel imagined herself giving the attendance lady at school her reason for missing so many days.  

_"See, I went back a couple thousand years in time to prevent a demon from altering what has already happened."_

She smiled at the idea.  She bet that her mother had never done anything as crazy as this.  This whole thing was insane.  '_But then again, what can I expect from being a witch?_' she thought.  '_Not a normal life, that's for sure._'  

But on the bright side, she was also in the company of an extremely hot blonde Elf.  

Her hand strayed to the scabbard by her arm.  It hung from a strap that went over her shoulder.  

Before she left, Elrond gave her a weapon for the journey.  A long knife, longer than an average dagger, but shorter and lighter than a sword.  (A/N: Does anyone know a term for a blade like that?)  It was really the only thing that would suit her.  The swords were far too heavy for her to even hold properly, not to mention that she couldn't even block the simplest blows.  She was better at the bow and arrow, but she didn't have the strength to pull it to its full length.  Her aim wasn't too bad though, but after all those years of aiming fireballs at demons and warlocks, what could be expected?  Her bad balance ruled out the staff too; a simple blow would make her trip.  So she had been left with the knife.  

And the switchblade too.  Angel still had her switchblade in the front pocket of her hoodie.  And she had the feeling that it would come in handy.  

They walked the whole morning, stopping only at noon to have a light lunch.  Gandalf chose a site partially covered by large white boulders jutting out of the ground.  The Fellowship laid their packs down.  Sam set about to start a fire and cook some food, while Merry and Pippin practiced sword fighting with the Man of Gondor.  Aragorn sat down with a pipe to watch them.  

Angel walked over to Sam and watched with an amused smile as he tried to light a fire, with no success.  Biting back a laugh, she sat down and asked, "Sam, do you need help with the fire?"

The hobbit struck the flint against the stone again, and heaved a sigh.  He looked up at Angel gratefully.  "Could you?" he asked, holding out the stones.

The young witch took them and scraped them against each other.  A few sparks flew out and landed on the kindling, but they fizzled with a faint hiss and died out.  Angel glanced over at Sam, whose attention was now on Merry, Pippin, and Boromir.  She looked around to see if anyone was watching.  Gandalf was in conversation with the Dwarf and Frodo.  The Elf Legolas was standing on one of the boulders, gazing up at the sky with his back to her.  

Angel struck the stones together again and quickly held out a fireball in her palm, lighting the kindling before the sparks sizzled out.  Then she retreated the flames dancing in her palm and set down the stones.  Tapping Sam lightly on the shoulder, she said, "You can cook now."

Sam saw the flaming fire and thanked Angel for her help.  The sound of metal clashing against metal reached her ears and she walked over to where Merry and Pippin were sword fighting with Boromir.  She looked on with amusement as Pippin suddenly dropped his sword and gripped his hand.  Boromir ran over apologizing for what his sword had done, only to get kicked in the legs by the hobbit.  Angel laughed softly as the hobbits tackled him to the ground, shouting, "For the Shire!"

Pippin cried, "Hold him!  Hold him down, Merry!"  

As they wrestled, Legolas leapt up onto a higher post to gaze up at a dark cloud in the sky, shading his eyes with one hand.

Sam caught sight of it and paused from his cooking.  "What is that?"

Gimli snorted dismissively.  "Nothing, just a wisp of cloud."  
  


Boromir pulled up from ground, the smile on his face quickly fading.  The hobbits also stopped for a moment to look.  

"It's moving fast. . . against the wind."

"Crebain from Dunland!" shouted Legolas suddenly.  

For a moment, Angel didn't understand.  Then, as the dark cloud drew closer, she realized that it wasn't a cloud at all. . . it was a flock of black birds.  

"Hide!" ordered Aragorn, grabbing the packs lying on the ground and shoving them under the rock hangings.

Boromir helped the hobbits go undercover beneath some overhanging rocks.  Angel helped Sam stamp the fire out hastily before joining them.  Aragorn, Gimli, and Gandalf went into hiding places as soon as the packs were all concealed.  Legolas jumped down from the cliff and lay down behind some bushes.  

No sooner had they all gone into hiding did the huge flock of birds flew overhead, cawing raucously.  

After they were out of sight, the Fellowship emerged from their hiding places.  Gandalf straightened up.  "Spies of Saruman.  The passage south is being watched."  The old wizard turned his gaze to the snowy mountain peaks far off in the distance.  "We must take the pass of Caradhras."

'_It's so damn cold up here_,' thought Angel as she trekked through the snow-blanketed ground.  The snow was up to her thighs, and she couldn't even feel her legs anymore.  The flurry of snowflakes obscured her vision, making it difficult to see.  She could barely even make out the form of Legolas in front of her, though she was sure he was only a few feet away.  A sudden gust of icy cold wind blasted out of nowhere.  She closed her eyes tightly, turning her head away from the direction of the freezing blast.  A few seconds passed and slowly, Angel forced her eyes open despite the stinging current of air.  She could have sworn that she had heard a voice in the wind. . .             Or maybe she was just hearing things.  

But apparently she wasn't the only one.  

Legolas in front of her stopped.  "There is a fell voice on the air."

The chanting continued in a strange language.  

"It's Saruman!" cried Gandalf.  

"He's trying to bring down the mountain!"

Suddenly a thunderous crack resounded through the air and Angel looked up, barely having enough time to realize what was happening before a mountain of snow buried her and the rest of the Fellowship.

Angel tried to draw breath but instead swallowed a mouthful of powdery snow.  She lifted her head up and it broke the surface.  Gasping for air, the witch ran an arm over her face to clear off the snow.  She stood up and scanned the area for the rest of the Fellowship.  Something moved to her left.  Angel looked in that direction and saw Legolas shaking off the snow from his head.    

Soon, the rest of the Fellowship emerged shivering from the snow.  

Boromir yelled something to Gandalf that she didn't hear and suggested that they take the route through the Gap of Rohan.  

"The Gap of Rohan takes us too close to Isengard," yelled Aragorn over the wind's howls.  

The Dwarf Gimli turned to Gandalf.  "If we cannot go over the mountain, let us go under it.  Let us go through the mines of Moria." 

The rest of the Company awaited Gandalf's answer.  Slowly, he nodded once.  They would take the route through Khazad-dum. 

Angel gazed up at the rock cliff.  They had left the mountain and were now at its foot.  There was a foul pool nearby full of stale water.  Gandalf walked over to it, brushing away some old vines and dust.  "Ithildin.  It mirrors only moonlight and starlight."  He looked overhead at the dark sky.  Angel followed his gaze and saw a crescent moon shining against the black heavens.  

Suddenly silvery lines began to appear on the wall, dim and faint at first, but growing brighter as the seconds passed.  The gleaming lines outlined the framework of a door on the rock face.  The lines ran across the door, crisscrossing to form two trees and a star between them, along with many other symbols and strange runes running along the top of the curved arch.    

Frodo approached the door, his eyes grazing the runes on the arch.  "What does the writing say?  I thought I knew the elf-letters, but I cannot read these."

"The words are in the elven-tongue of the West of Middle-earth in the Elder Days," said Gandalf.  "They say: The Doors of Durin, Lord of Moria.  Speak friend, and enter."

"What do you suppose that means?" asked Pippin.

"It's simple.  If you are a friend you speak the password and the doors will open,"  Gandalf explained.  He held his staff against the door, and chanted, "_Annon edhellen, edro hi amen!  Fennas nogothrim, lasto beth lammen_!"

The Fellowship waited in cold silence, but nothing happened.  

Gandalf tried again, rearranging the words this time, but still the door remained stubbornly immobile.  

Angel lost track of the time as attempt after attempt failed to open the doors of Moria.  Gandalf's words melted together into a monotonous drone in her ears.  The other members of the Fellowship were wandering around aimlessly.  Angel felt her eyes closing.  Suddenly there was a loud _plop_, bringing her back to full wakefulness.  She turned and saw Pippin facing the foul lake.  He hurled something into the water, which landed with another _plop_.  It sounded deafening in the deathly still atmosphere.  His arm swung back to throw another one, but Aragorn caught it and Pippin looked at him.

"Do not disturb the water," Aragorn warned in a low whisper.  

As he spoke the waters of the lake began to move, rippling back and forth in slow waves. 

Aragorn and Pippin walked away from the pool's edge cautiously. 

Frodo walked up to the door.  "It's a riddle.  'Speak friend and enter.'  What's the elven word for 'friend'?"

"Mellon," replied Gandalf.  

As if on cue, the doors split down the middle and creaked open.  All Angel could see beyond the doors was black emptiness.  She shivered, half wishing that she was back in the freezing cold of Caradhras.  

The Fellowship gathered up their belongings and made their way inside.  Angel could hear Gimli saying to Legolas, "Soon, Master Elf, you will enjoy the fabled hospitality of the Dwarves.  Roaring fires, malt beer, ripe meat off the bone.  This is the home of my cousin Balin.  And they call it a mine.  A mine!"

Gandalf placed a large crystal on the end of his staff.  The crystal glowed and light from the staff lit up the inside of Moria.  Angel stumbled over something in her path.  Pulling up sharply she looked down at the stone floor.  She let out a sharp gasp and froze.  A skull, white and gleaming in the light of Gandalf's staff, grinned up at her.  Angel's gaze swept around the surrounding area.  Complete skeletons and stray skulls and bones littered the floor, arrows lodged in them.  

Angel's heard Boromir's voice, but it did not register in her frozen mind.  "This is no mine.  It's a tomb."  The Man of Gondor turned to Aragorn.  "We make for the Gap of Rohan.  We should never have come here."  

Out of the corner of the eye, Angel saw Frodo get yanked off his feet with a strangled cry.  Turning, Angel felt shock and horror enter her system.  A giant dark green tentacle from the lake had wrapped itself around his ankle, and it was pulling him towards the pool.  

"Strider!" 

Aragorn and the others turned and saw what was happening.  They dashed over, but the creature had dragged Frodo almost to the water's edge.  

Angel was closer.  She sprinted towards the hobbit, grabbing his arm with one hand.  Angel laid her free hand on the slimy limb wrapped around his ankle and tried to wrench it off.  

But it wouldn't budge.  Finally, she clasped her hand tightly around the tentacle and emitted a fireball against the slimy skin.  All that could be seen was a faint red-orange glow around her hand, barely visible in the shadowy night.  That seemed to do the trick, and the tentacle released Frodo and retreated back into the murky depths of the lake. 

Angel stood up and stared into the gloomy water, unaware of the water lapping at her legs.  Frodo raised himself into a sitting position, his breath coming to short gasps.  

By now the rest of the Fellowship were approaching the pair.  Sam helped Frodo to his feet.  

"Are you all right, Mr. Frodo?" he asked.

Frodo nodded, his eyes wide with horror still staring at the inky black water.  There was a  low rumbling sound, barely audible.  Then the surface of the water exploded and dozens of tentacles burst out from the lake, flailing violently around in the air.  Three of them shot out towards Frodo, seizing the hobbit again and lifting him up into the sky.  The Fellowship sprang into action.  Aragorn and Boromir drew their swords and ran into the water, hacking at the limbs.  Aragorn swung his sword and cleaved off one of the legs holding Frodo.  The nerveless tentacle loosened its hold on the halfling, and Frodo fell through the air.  Boromir caught him and ran with Aragorn into the mines, shouting for the others to follow.  "Legolas!  Into the mines!"

The Elf loosed a final arrow and retreated.   

As soon as everyone was in the mines, the tentacles reached out and clawed at the door.  The doors of Moria collapsed under the furious strength of the monster, sending chunks of stone tumbling downwards.  

Their way out was sealed.  

For a few moments, everyone was deathly silent.  Angel looked around, but could not see a thing in the pitch black.  Finally, she heard Gandalf's voice.

"Now we have no choice but to face the long dark of Moria."  A dim light flared from where his voice had come from.  The crystal from the tip of Gandalf's staff was glowing.  "Stay close.  There are older and fouler things than orcs in the dark places of the world."

Kendall rounded the corner and knelt down, ignoring the sharp rocks that were cutting into her knee.  She was in the alleyway behind an old abandoned utility store beneath a crescent moon and a star-studded night sky.  She peeked out from behind the corner and pulled back sharply when she saw the cloaked figures approaching.  

They were a pack of Creeper demons, demons who cloaked themselves in shadows, preying on spirits.  Vanquishing the leader would vanquish his entire clan as well.  Kendall was waiting for Adrian to come with the vanquishing potion. 

Blue and white lights appeared beside her.  Without turning, Kendall whispered, "Adrian, do you have it?"

"Yeah," replied her brother as he pressed a small bottle into her hand.  "Remember, don't throw unless you are absolutely sure it's the leader."

She looked down at the small vial in her hand.  She had one shot.  Just one shot to do this right.  Kendall stood up and positioned herself before the demons in full view, her hand clamped over the vial so that they would not see it.  Adrian was next to her, ready to back her up if necessary.

"How do I know which one is the leader?" she hissed out of the corner of her mouth.

"One of them has to be giving out orders to the others."

But the pack was moving as one.  Kendall scanned the pack for a demon that stood out from the rest.  But they all looked the same.  She felt the first surge of panic, but with an effort, she pushed it away, keeping her head clear.  Then she saw it.  A hooded demon half a head taller than all the others at the front of the group. . . hissing as if commanding the rest.

"I think I see him," she whispered to Adrian.  

"Which one?"

"That one at the front that's taller than all the rest.  I think that's the leader."

Adrian followed her gaze, watching the demon she was referring to and nodded.  "Yeah, I think so too.  Go, I'll cover you."

Kendall walked forward, Adrian beside her.  The leader saw her and walked forward a step, but then the hooded head lowered and it seemed to see that her clenched fist.  A faint hiss escaped the creature and he backed away as though realizing what was being held in her hand.  The other demons flanked their leader, forming a protective semi-circle around him, growling menacingly. 

Kendall stared a moment in amazement.  Since when were Creeper demons this smart?  "How are we going to get at him now?"

Adrian studied the scene for a moment, then he grabbed her wrist.  "I have an idea."

Kendall looked up at him, but before she could ask "What?" her vision was obscured by blue and white light.  When her sight was cleared, she saw that they were now facing the demons' backs.  Adrian had orbed them.  Then she understood.  The Creeper leader was unprotected from the back.  They were on the other side of the semi-circle that the demons had formed around their leader.  

Kendall threw the vanquishing potion at the leader of the clan.  The demon erupted into flames, shrieking in agony as the fire consumed him before exploding into tiny particles.  

They watched as the rest of the demons were swallowed in fire, their screams riveting the air.  Kendall and Adrian waited a few seconds before the demons were gone and the shrieks were cut off.  

Finally, Kendall licked her lips and said, "Well, let's go now."

"Right."  Adrian held her wrist and the alleyway disappeared in a flash of blue and white.  When the light faded, they were standing in the living room of the Halliwell manor house.  

Kendall flopped down on the couch and sighed.  Ever since Angel had left them a sister short and without the Power of Three, demons had been attacking them left and right.  Kendall had even been attacked by a Tracer demon in the middle of her morning shopping two days ago.  Fortunately, she had been able to vanquish him without much trouble and the Cleaners were able to cover up for her.  '_Demons sure know how to take advantage of a situation_,' thought Kendall angrily.  She didn't think that they would be able to keep with the attacks for too long.  

(A/N:  I'll take Nikki's advice and keep this short.  Whenever magic becomes exposed, the Cleaners are responsible for covering up the exposure, cleaning up the mess and erasing memories of the event when needed.)

Adrian left for the kitchen.  Kendall heard him opening the fridge and cursing.  She smiled to herself.  

"Kendall, what happened to the apple pie?" called Adrian.

"I don't know.  Why don't you ask Wyatt?" 

A few seconds later, Adrian came back holding a tray of bite size pizza rolls just as Wyatt orbed into the room.  

"Wyatt, Adrian wants to know what happened to the apple pie," said Kendall sweetly.  

Wyatt looked startled at first, then grinned sheepishly and faced Adrian.  "Oh, I kinda. . . taste-tested it." 

Seeing Adrian glaring at him, Kendall stifled a laugh.  Wyatt had inherited his habit of helping himself to food in the house from his father.  "Chill, guys.  I'll make some more tomorrow."   

"So where have you been?" asked Adrian gruffly as he put down the tray and sat down on the couch.  Kendall winced, her hopes that the two had forgiven each other shattered.

"Up there," answered Wyatt, taking a seat next to Kendall.  His reply was a bit apathetic.  He was either ignoring Adrian's obvious cold shoulder or he was just too thick to recognize it.    

Kendall took a pizza roll from the tray that Adrian had set down on the coffee table.  "Talking with the Elders?  About what?"

"About Angel."

Kendall suddenly became very attentive.  

Adrian nearly choked on the snack.  He took a quick swallow and asked a little sharper than he had intended, "Angel?  How is she?"

Wyatt ran a hand through his blond hair and replied, "She's fine.  Angel's doing a lot better than we are anyway.  Belthazor hasn't made his move yet, and he hasn't attempted any attack on her." 

Adrian let out a sigh of relief.  Kendall, however, bit her lip.  "He hasn't done anything?"

"That's how it seems."  Wyatt raised an eyebrow.  "Is that a bad thing?"

"Sort of.  I mean, it makes me wonder why he'd be biding his time like this."

Adrian caught up on her thoughts.  "What?  Do you think he's waiting for the right moment to strike or something?"

"Yeah. . ."  Kendall trailed off.  "You know, I'm starting to wonder whether we should have left her there.  I mean, this is what Belthazor wanted, wasn't it?  For one of us to stay in Middle-earth."

"Yeah, but we don't really have any other choice."

"I know, but it just bothers me how we're walking right into a trap."  

Kendall twisted a strand of black hair around her finger.  She really wished they could have had more time to give some serious thought to this decision.  She was not one to make potent choices without mulling it over properly first.  

"Hey, Kendall, we could slip away for a few moments sometime just to check in on her."

"What?  But the Elders –"

"They don't have to know."  Wyatt said the statement firmly and with a slight note of recalcitrance in his voice.

Kendall stared at the Whitelighter.  She couldn't think of any time when he had openly suggested that they go against the will of the Elders.  She read the conflict on his face and knew that he knew more than he was telling them.   

I'm working on the next chapter, and while you wait, why don't you be nice and review?  If not. . .well, then I hope you like this!

Midyears are over!  YAY! 

Thanks to the Reviewers:

This time I'll thank the new reviewers first.  

Mia: thanx for the support and I hope you'll read on!  

ElvenWitch13: thank you so much for coming back!  Don't worry, I have plenty of humor coming up. . . for example Angel is gonna have bad hair days with the fellowship.

Dark Queen:  Thank you for the suggestion about Angel's age.  I thought it over, and I think you have a point.  I'll make her a year older then, how does that sound?  Eighteen isn't that much older than seventeen, but it _is _a little better at least.  I can't make her any older because then that would mean that she's in college and that would just make more trouble for me as the author.  You said that Angel is wise beyond her years, but I didn't intend for her to be because Angel is a little reckless and impetuous.  I think that would fit Kendall more.

Lady Arwen:  Thanks a lot for reviewing!  Yes, I thought that it would be cool to combine my favorite books and TV show together.  Charmed is the only TV show that I watch regularly.   

And now back to my old reviewers.

Nikki:  You know what?  I think that I could actually get away with writing on the laptop during class.  I mean, I see other kids type up notes on their laptops all the time.  What do you and Margaret have fourth hour?  Do you two read my story during class or something, because that's how it sounds.

Salem:  Hey, you came back!!  YAY!  As for the issue of when the Fellowship is gonna find out about Angel being a witch, I haven't thought about that yet.  Of course, they have to find out eventually, but like Kendall said, it wouldn't be safe for the others to know, at least not yet.  BTW: Come back soon!  I love readers who do that!

Songbreeze1125:  Lol.  Yes, it was kinda weird how I just happened to update right after you reviewed.  But then again, that's just what happens when you review.  looks meaningfully at everyone else  I was just about to post, but decided to check the reviews first in case there were more reviewers for me to reply to before I posted the chapter.  Rapier, huh?  I'll have to look that up in the dictionary first.  

roos:  You came back too!!  Yes, I have been watching season 6 of Charmed, but unfortunately, every once in a while I miss an episode, so my knowledge of recent events is rather spotty.  I missed last week's episode, but I heard that it was really good, so if you could tell me about it, that'd be great.  Maybe I should hold another vote to see if I should just let Boromir get killed off.   I feel so powerful.  voice suddenly becomes like Galadriel when Frodo offers her the Ring in Lothlorien  I am the almighty author, and I get to determine the fates of the characters.  I decide who lives and who dies. . . and who falls in love with who.  I choose who stubs their toe and who gets a pimple on their nose.  Mwaaaah-haaaa-haaaaa – cough cough (Damn the flu bug!)– haaa-haaa!!!  voice turns back to normal  okay, got a little carried away. . .  I'll try to finish the next chapter soon. 

Nikki (again):  Ok, _chill_!  I'm getting all my chapters out pretty quickly compared to some other authors.  Plus I just got my midterms over with.  But thanks for the support, you really egg me on!

You guys rock my world!  I must have died and gone to author heaven to get reviewers 

like you people.

BTW: Does anybody know how to get italics in?  I use italics when I type, but for some reason, it never shows when I post.  But I see for other authors it does, so what am I doing wrong?


	5. Ch 5: Remembrance and a Plot Against Lov...

Midyears are over!  YAY! 

Thanks to the Reviewers:

This time I'll thank the new reviewers first.  

Mia: thanx for the support and I hope you'll read on!  

ElvenWitch13: thank you so much for coming back!  Don't worry, I have plenty of humor coming up. . . for example Angel is gonna have bad hair days with the fellowship.

Dark Queen:  Thank you for the suggestion about Angel's age.  I thought it over, and I think you have a point.  I'll make her a year older then, how does that sound?  Eighteen isn't that much older than seventeen, but it _is _a little better at least.  I can't make her any older because then that would mean that she's in college and that would just make more trouble for me as the author.  You said that Angel is wise beyond her years, but I didn't intend for her to be because Angel is a little reckless and impetuous.  I think that would fit Kendall more.

Lady Arwen:  Thanks a lot for reviewing!  Yes, I thought that it would be cool to combine my favorite books and TV show together.  Charmed is the only TV show that I watch regularly.   

And now back to my old reviewers.

Nikki:  You know what?  I think that I could actually get away with writing on the laptop during class.  I mean, I see other kids type up notes on their laptops all the time.  What do you and Margaret have fourth hour?  Do you two read my story during class or something, because that's how it sounds.

Salem:  Hey, you came back!!  YAY!  As for the issue of when the Fellowship is gonna find out about Angel being a witch, I haven't thought about that yet.  Of course, they have to find out eventually, but like Kendall said, it wouldn't be safe for the others to know, at least not yet.  BTW: Come back soon!  I love readers who do that!

Songbreeze1125:  Lol.  Yes, it was kinda weird how I just happened to update right after you reviewed.  But then again, that's just what happens when you review.  looks meaningfully at everyone else  I was just about to post, but decided to check the reviews first in case there were more reviewers for me to reply to before I posted the chapter.  Rapier, huh?  I'll have to look that up in the dictionary first.  

roos:  You came back too!!  Yes, I have been watching season 6 of Charmed, but unfortunately, every once in a while I miss an episode, so my knowledge of recent events is rather spotty.  I missed last week's episode, but I heard that it was really good, so if you could tell me about it, that'd be great.  Maybe I should hold another vote to see if I should just let Boromir get killed off.   I feel so powerful.  voice suddenly becomes like Galadriel when Frodo offers her the Ring in Lothlorien  I am the almighty author, and I get to determine the fates of the characters.  I decide who lives and who dies. . . and who falls in love with who.  I choose who stubs their toe and who gets a pimple on their nose.  Mwaaaah-haaaa-haaaaa – cough cough (Damn the flu bug!)– haaa-haaa!!!  voice turns back to normal  okay, got a little carried away. . .  I'll try to finish the next chapter soon. 

Nikki (again):  Ok, _chill_!  I'm getting all my chapters out pretty quickly compared to some other authors.  Plus I just got my midterms over with.  But thanks for the support, you really egg me on!

You guys rock my world!  I must have died and gone to author heaven to get reviewers 

like you people.

BTW: Does anybody know how to get italics in?  I use italics when I type, but for some reason, it never shows when I post.  But I see for other authors it does, so what am I doing wrong?

Ch. 5

Remembrance and a Plot Against Love

"It is done," said Belthazor.  "One of the Charmed Ones is in Middle-earth."  The demon was standing before a tall menacing figure cloaked in red.  His face was overcast beneath the folds of a hood, but Belthazor could sense the pitiless eyes watching him, reading his thoughts and his moods.  The Source.  The Lord the Underworld.  Like all demons in the Underworld, Belthazor both feared and respected him, but as he had once been the Source himself, he knew that he wasn't indestructible.  

"You are a faithful servant, Belthazor," spoke a deep voice from beneath the hood.  "But tell me, which of the Charmed Ones have you lured into the past?"

Belthazor bowed his head, and replied, "The youngest.  I chose her because she is the most rash of the three, and the least experienced."  He waited for his master's answer in silence.  

The Source nodded in approval.  "You choose wisely.  The Charmed Ones will find that they have no way out of this trap.  Whichever path they choose, their doom is inevitable.  My plan has been set into motion."  He drew a deep breath , and Belthazor thought that the air had suddenly gone chill.  "However, one thing puzzles me."

Belthazor looked up.  "And what may that be, my Lord?"

"Why have you not attacked yet?  At this point, the Ringbearer and the youngest Halliwell are most vulnerable.  You may attack either of them, and our purpose will be fulfilled."

"They are not as defenseless as you think.  The Fellowship has only just departed Rivendell, and the Company's bond is still strong.  The corruption has not yet begun to destroy them.  As for the witch, she is well able to defend herself and the wizard Gandalf is aware of us and our purpose and he will protect her."  
  


"Then when do you plan to strike?"

Belthazor recognized the subtle impatience and replied, "Haste would be foolish.  The wizard will fall.  By then the evil of the Ring will have begun its work on the Fellowship, and Frodo will become more unprotected.  But even then, I do not plan to attack.  The Seer has told me that the witch will fall in love with one of the Fellowship."

The Source smiled inwardly to himself as he understood.  This was why Belthazor was his right hand demon, because he understood humans so well, and knew how to use that kind of knowledge.  "Love can be a powerful tool, when it is used properly," he commented.  

"Yes, my Lord.  Her love will blind her, and make her open to attack.  She will not recognize danger when she sees it, and when she does, it will be too late.  Her death will break the Power of Three for good, and the world will be ours for the taking."

"All we must do then is watch and wait for the right moment."  The Source watched as his servant nodded.  "You have done well, Belthazor.  I want you to go back to Middle-earth now and keep a close watch on the witch and the Fellowship.  I will summon you if need be."

Belthazor bowed as a portal opened to his left and stepped through.

"Angel?" asked a soft voice.

"Hmm?" replied Angel sleepily with her eyes closed.  She was already half asleep, and reluctant to leave the quiet comfort of slumber.

"Never mind.  Go to sleep now," said Legolas.  He had only called her to see if she was awake.  In the darkness of Khazad-dum, it was hard to tell, even with his sharp elvish eyes.  

The Fellowship had walked through the mines for days, and as of yet, the trek had been uneventful, and for that they were grateful.  At the moment they had paused for a few hours, waiting for Gandalf to decide which path they should take.  

Legolas looked down at Angel who was sleeping with her head against his shoulder, her head bowed and her face framed between two curtains of long black hair.  Ever since the Fellowship had left the refuge of Rivendell, Legolas had taken the girl under his wing, as it was his instinct to watch out for those weaker than him.   

Angel crossed the barrier between wakefulness and slumber, but she did not find the comfort she had been seeking.  Past memories were returning to her.  Memories of her parents. . . 

She was looking into a room from between a doorway.  She recognized it as the Halliwell parlor back in San Francisco where they used to live, but it wasn't quite as she remember it.  People were hanging up streamers and blowing up balloons, chattering with cheerful voices unburdened by the sorrow of a tragedy that would soon come to pass.  A woman with shoulder-length brown hair was standing on a chair with her back to Angel, pinning up a holographic banner bearing the words "Happy Birthday!" in large bold letters.

Even though she was asleep, Angel knew that the past had come back to haunt her.  This memory was an important one, she wouldn't be dreaming about it otherwise. . . Then she was hit with a sudden realization.  It was the day that her parents died. . . the same day as Adrian's tenth birthday party.  Angel stood there, staring at the back of her head with an overwhelming feeling of  both joy and terrible sadness.  She knew what would happen to that woman within the next few hours. 

"Mom?" called Angel in a barely audible whisper.    

She turned slightly, and for a split second in which her heart stopped, Angel thought that she had heard her.  But instead, the woman looked down and said, "Matthew, I need another pin." 

Matthew.  Her father's name.  

A tall man with black hair and hazel eyes walked over to her and held up a small silver object in his hand.  Angel stared at her father's face.  He looked almost identical to Adrian.  Angel could have easily mistaken him for her brother if she did not knew that this was just a memory.  

The woman bent down to take it and as she did, Angel caught a glimpse of her face.  There was no doubt about it.  She had not seen that face since she was seven, but she saw the resemblance every time she saw her own reflection.  

"Thanks, honey," said the woman as she stuck the pin into the wall and got down from the chair.  She turned to her husband and said, "So, where's the kids?"

 He opened his mouth to reply, but just then there was a loud yell and two boys ran from the kitchen, weaving in and out through the adults decorating the walls and arranging food on the table.  One of them had blond hair and blue eyes, and the other jet black hair and hazel eyes.  They were holding a doll each, and looked over their shoulders as they ran.  Both were laughing mischievously.  

Angel moved away from the doorway so that they could pass, and felt a jolt of surprise. She was looking at Wyatt and Adrian, as they were twelve years ago.  Adrian was only two years younger than Wyatt, but they were about the same height in this memory.  But something was different about them here that Angel didn't remember seeing in them, something that she couldn't quite place.  They had a quality that Adrian and Wyatt were lacking now.  

"Adrian!  Give us back our dolls!" shrieked a voice from behind them.  Angel turned in time to see a eight-year old Kendall leading another smaller girl with sleek black hair and royal blue eyes who was screaming at the top of her lungs.  They were following the boys, and as they passed Angel realized who the smaller girl was.  It was her.  

The two girls had it too, that same quality that seemed to be missing in their future selves.  Angel wondered what it was.  But somehow she was sure that these children had lost that trait this fateful day in the past.  

As the two children ran past the doorway, Angel held her hand out, almost as though she wanted to touch her six year old self, but before she could, the scene changed. . . she was in an abandoned construction site. . . a giant crane loomed six stories high above . . . her parents were facing a creature with green-tinged skin.  His face looked like a skull with a thin layer of skin stretched tightly over it.  Angel knew what it was.  Necron, a skeletal being that hovered between life and death, feeding off the life force of other living beings.  She stood frozen with horror and watched Necron shoot an incinerating blue-white energy ball at her parents. 

Angel felt someone shaking her shoulder gently.  Her eyes snapped open as she the dream ended abruptly.  The construction site vanished, and she was now staring into the face of Legolas.  He looked concerned. 

"Are you all right?" 

"Yes, why wouldn't I be?" replied Angel sharply.  

Legolas looked away.  "You were crying."

Angel reached up to her eyes with one hand.  Sure enough, there were tearstains on her face.  She hastily wiped them away, embarrassed that the Prince of Mirkwood had seen her crying in her sleep.  '_Damn me.  I can't control my emotions even when I'm asleep._'

She got up, brushing herself off and pulled her hood over her head so no one would see the tears.  Avoiding Legolas's gaze, she focused her attention on Gandalf, who was looking down a dark passageway.  

"The air down here is less foul," the wizard commented.  "When in doubt, always follow your nose."

As they followed the wizard, Angel tried desperately to grasp back some of the fleeting shreds of the memory.  But what had been so clear just moments ago was fading fast.  Soon it was all gone and all Angel had left was a feeling of frustration and grief.  

But the dream had not been for nothing.  Among the emotions of loss and anger, Angel felt a new emotion surface – determination.  Determination to find out how her parents had died.  If she could just have that memory back, maybe the past would stop haunting her.  

Now the question was how.  Angel searched through her mind for a spell – any spell that could help her remember.  But she had never bothered to memorize any spells, the Book of Shadows had always been there whenever she needed any spell for any purpose.  And now she didn't have it.   

But that setback didn't daunt her.  She would write her own spell.

Wyatt stood before the podium on which the Book of Shadows lay.  He flipped through the Book, searching for a spell to vanquish a familiar warlock.  They had been attacked by one only a while ago, and though he had retreated, they were sure that he would be back any moment now.  A loud crash from downstairs followed by Adrian's cry of "Wyatt, _hurry up_!" justified their guess.  

Finally, the Whitelighter found what he had been looking for.  He skimmed through quickly to make sure he had the right spell and then orbed downstairs with the Book.  

When he reappeared, the first thing he saw was Adrian getting thrown backwards over the kitchen table.  The table crashed over as he made impact with a loud thud.  Wyatt caught sight of the warlock charging towards him with an energy ball ready in his hand.  Orbing himself next to Adrian, the whitelighter formed a blue-white force shield around them both.  The warlock crashed into the barrier and was instantly thrown back with a painful shock.  He lay there, stunned and dazed while Adrian and Wyatt read the vanquish.  

_Nine times this evil's cheated death,_

_  
Felt no pain and kept its breath.  
  
_

_This warlock standing in our midst,  
  
_

_Let him feel what he has missed._

The warlock screamed in agony as it burst into flames before disappearing in a thin wisp of smoke.  

Once he was gone, Wyatt deactivated the protective shield and stood facing his cousin, offering a hand to help him up.

But Adrian coldly ignored it, making it clear that their fight was not over with yet.  Wyatt stared at him.

"Adrian, if you're still pissed because Angel was chosen for this job –" 

"She can take care of herself, I know that, but how are _we _going to hold up without her?"

Wyatt was slightly taken by surprise.  So now he was concerned about _them_ instead of Angel?  

"It's only been a few weeks since she's been gone, and we're getting attacked 24/7.  How much longer do you think it's going to be before we're taken down?"  Adrian shook his head.  "And worse than that, me and Kendall have to go back to college next Monday, and how the hell are we supposed to keep up with these attacks there?"

Their conversation was cut short as the front door slammed shut.  Kendall walked into the dining room, and stared at the overturned table and broken glass on the floor.

She cocked an eyebrow and asked very calmly, "Did I miss something while I was gone?"

Both men turned to her.

"Just another attack by a familiar warlock," answered Adrian casually, as if this happened everyday (which was close enough to the truth now).  

"Okay, I see that the warlock is gone, which means one less evil we have to worry about," said Kendall, stepping carefully around the shards of glass on the tile floor.  Her Empath power was kicking in again, and she could sense the tension coming from both of them.  Kendall knew that she must have walked in on another argument, but chose not to ask about it.  This was between Adrian and Wyatt to work out.  

Kendall telekinetically flipped the table right-side-up again and used a quick flick of her wrist to direct all the glass into a wastebasket at the corner of the room.  

"Well, since me and Adrian are leaving on Monday, we'll both need charms to protect ourselves from getting attacked in the middle of class," stated Kendall a-matter-of-factly.  "I'm going to see if I can make one for the job."  She turned and climbed upstairs toward the attic where all the potion supplies were kept.  

Adrian did not meet Wyatt's eyes as he followed to help Kendall. 

Angel walked into the chamber cautiously.  They had followed Gandalf until they came upon a chamber, not very big, about the size of an average classroom.  But inside there was a large block of white stone, and a single shaft of blue light fell upon it from above, where there seemed to be a gap in the roof of Moria.  

She looked at Gimli sadly.  He was kneeling beside the block, his head bowed and speaking in Dwarvish in a way that sounded much like a prayer.  The block of stone was a tomb, the tomb of Balin, Gimli's cousin.  Angel took a quick look at the room and turned in disgust.  There were skeletons strewn all over the floor.   

The Fellowship entered the chamber of Balin's tomb.  Gandalf stood behind Gimli, and read the runes engraved on the stone.  "Here lies Balin son of Fundin, Lord of Moria."  The wizard sighed wearily.  "He is dead then.  It is as I feared."  He left Gimli's side and bent down to pick up a book clasped in the arms of a skeleton.  Brushing it off quickly, he opened it and read, "_They have taken the bridge and the second hall.  We have barred the bridge, but cannot hold for long.  The ground shakes.  Drums. . . drums in the deep.  We cannot get out. A shadow moves in the dark.  We cannot get out. . . They are coming._"

Angel walked around as the wizard read from the book, shuddering as she imagined the terrifying deaths of these Dwarves.  Trapped in their own home, hundreds of feet beneath the surface of the earth, never to see the light again.  She wanted to get out of here.  

Suddenly there was a creaking sound, then a loud crash that resonated through the empty stillness.  Angel felt her heart give an unpleasant jump as she froze at the deafening noise.  She looked to the direction from which it came and saw a petrified Pippin standing next to a round hole in the middle of the chamber and realized that he had knocked something down the deep well.  Angel waited, listening for the objects to hit bottom.  But it never came. Following the crash there was cold silence.  No one moved until Gandalf slammed the book shut and strode over to the terrified hobbit, snapping angrily, "Next time throw yourself in, and rid us of your stupidity."

Angel let out a breath that she had unknowingly held.  Then suddenly there came a faint drumbeat far off in the distance, barely audible.  _Doom, doom._  

The Fellowship tensed and it came again, louder this time.  _Doom, doom._  Angel's mind went back to the last words of the Dwarves.  '_Drums. . . drums in the deep._'  This was what they had meant.  Were they going to meet the same fate as them?  '_We cannot get out._'  They were trapped, just like those Dwarves.  

_Doom, doom._  It was louder this time, and this time, harsh raucous cries mingled in with the pulsating beats.  

"Orcs!" cried Legolas.  

Angel groaned.  Orcs?  '_Don't I just have the best luck?_'   

Boromir ran to the doors and looked out, only to pull back sharply as two black-feathered arrows embedded themselves into the old wood, scarcely missing him.  Together, he and Aragorn pulled the heavy gates shut.  Legolas tossed them axes to bar the doors with.  As soon as the doors were firmly shut, they retreated and drew their swords.  

"Stay close to Gandalf!" ordered Aragorn to the hobbits as they slowly drew their blades.  Frodo's blade Sting was gleaming cold blue.  Angel herself pulled the long knife from its scabbard, weighing it in her hands as she contemplated how she was supposed to use it.  '_Random stabbing like last time, I guess._'

The walls shook as the beats grew louder.  The hobbits were gathered around Gandalf, who held Glamdring in his hand.  Boromir held his sword and shield at the ready.  Aragorn and Legolas were both fitting arrows to their bowstrings, while Gimli stood on the tomb of Balin with his axe. 

"Let them come," he growled.  "There is one Dwarf yet in Moria who still draws breath."

The orc shrieks became louder than ever, and sounded as though they were right outside the door.  

There came a crash on the door, and it shook, but held firm.  Angel could hear the screeching orcs outside pounding at the gates.  A small crack formed in the wood and she felt an arrow whistling past her, flying through the gap in the door.  It was followed by a hideous cry on the other side.  The doors endured crash after crash, and each time it shuddered more violently than before.  Finally a thunderous pound split the barrier open, and orcs flooded into the chamber.  Legolas released one shaft after another, faster than any eye could follow.  Gimli, standing on top of the stone block, swung his axe at any orc that dared come near Balin's tomb.  Angel knew that he was partly fueled by grief.  She knew what that felt like. . . 

The hobbits were defending themselves the best that they could, and Angel was slightly surprised by their fierce attacks.  What had once been peaceful quiet Shire-folk were now fighters.  When that change had occurred, she didn't know.  

Angel felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end, and on instinct, she swung around and stabbed.  She watched with grim satisfaction as the orc squealed and fell to the floor in a heap.  Pulling the knife back, she paused for a brief second to stare in repulsion at the black blood staining the blade.  '_Why can't they just blow up nicely like demons do?_'

Legolas released another arrow and reloaded while watching Angel with his peripheral vision.   She looked panicked, but that was hardly surprising.  

And in truth, Angel was scared, completely terrified of these monstrous beings.  She knew that she shouldn't be, she had seen and dealt with worse, but in a way, trapped in the mines of Moria with hundreds of orcs was worse than facing demons.  And the thought of dying in a different time realm made it even worse.  

But she had volunteered for this, and she wasn't about to back down now.  '_And_,' she thought as she swiped the blade across the throat of an orc, '_random stabbing doesn't seem like a bad tactic to use._'

Angel haphazardly ran through anything that came within range.  She wasn't making a very neat job of it, each time it took about three or four thrusts to effectively take down one of them.  

An thunderous growl riveted the air.  Time seemed to stand still as the Fellowship froze and stopped fighting.  Some orcs were entering the chamber, leading a huge beast in on chains.  It had leathery gray skin and a rather small by proportion head perched on top of massive shoulders.  It walked in a hunched position with long arms that almost touched the ground.  The orcs released their hold on the chains and the beast began flailing the chains around like a lash.  It struck the stone on which Gimli was standing on, but the Dwarf jumped off in time as Legolas let fly several arrows at the creature.  The troll roared in agony and began lashing out the chain at the Elf.  

Legolas ducked the whip and on the second time, the chain was wrapped around a stone pillar.  The Elf nimbly ran across the taut chain and jumped onto the troll's head.  He kept his balance and fired two shafts between his feet at its head despite the fact that the troll was trying to shake him off.  

Angel stared in amazement at the Elf's daring.  '_And I thought he was just hot._'  

The troll grabbed up a long spear from the ground and trust it out at Frodo.  The hobbit was caught between the point and the wall.  He let out a strangled gasp of pain, and the entire Fellowship stopped in their tracks at his cry.  The fury in Merry and Pippin seemed to have been ignited at the sight of their friend's dilemma.  If Angel thought she had seen how hobbits fought when enraged, she was wrong.  

The pair gave a grief-stricken cry and threw themselves onto the troll as if they did not care how much danger they were putting themselves in.  They afflicted a series of sharp stabs before it threw off Merry.

Angel stepped forward and plunged her knife deep into the troll's tough leathery skin.  She wrenched it out again and dark blood bled from the wound, hitting the ground with a faint sizzle.  The troll swung around and one of its long arms knocked the witch over.  She landed about ten feet away and when she opened her eyes, the troll was snarling menacingly in her face.  

Angel wrinkled her nose at his hot pungent breath.  It smelled like rotten meat.  A blow from nowhere swiped the knife from her hand and the troll held the spear point in front of her face.  

Angel felt something sharp under her.  She reached behind her back and touched the cold steel of a broken blade.  Just what she needed.  Bringing the shard out, she flung it as hard as she could into the troll's face and fought down the feeling of nausea when it buried itself into one of its yellow eyes.  "_Ugh._"

The huge animal was thrown into a frenzy.  It clawed at its bloody eye, screaming with unmistakable wrath.  Angel scrambled out from under it, unable to take her eyes off of the enraged creature.  Legolas pulled her to her feet and handed her the knife.  He strung a final arrow to his bowstring and released it.  The well aimed shaft  struck the troll's face, and with a final moan, it collapsed with an earthshaking crash.

The Fellowship approached the fallen creature cautiously, as though wary it would get up again.  Sam and Aragorn knelt beside Frodo, who was lying facedown as though dead.  "Oh, no," said Aragorn as he turned him over.

Frodo gasped and said, "It's okay, I'm alright."

Aragorn sighed in relief.  "You should be dead.  That spear would have skewered a wild boar."

"Well, I'm glad to say that it hasn't skewered me in any case."  Then he unbuttoned his shirt hesitantly to reveal a corset of silver mail.  

"_Mithril_," breathed Gimli in awe.  "You are full of surprises, Master Baggins."  

The Fellowship looked up with restricted breaths as the distinct cries of orcs pierced the air again.  More of them were coming.  

Gandalf realized their present danger and ordered quickly, "To the Bridge of Khazad-dum."

They fled out the east door, even as the orcs behind them entered the chamber that they left.  Hundreds of thousands of orcs scuttled down the huge pillars of Dwarrowdelf like spiders, racing up ahead to cut off their escape.  The Fellowship continued running until finally they were flanked by orcs on all sides.  The foul creatures hissed and snarled, jabbing their spears and blades at them.

Angel knew that even if she dared use her powers, it would be nothing short of impossible to freeze thousands of orcs long enough for them to escape.  Or perhaps she should try to think of a impromptu spell, but she was no good at inventing incantations under pressure, and spells created on the spot for emergencies didn't always work the way they were intended.  

Just when she began to think that there was no way out of this, there came a low rumble in the distance.  A faint red-orange glow illuminated the depths of the great hall, growing steadily brighter as if some ominous danger was approaching.  Angel stared at it in mounting apprehension, as the air around them become stiflingly warm.  

The orcs quailed and fled back up the tall pillars from whence they came until the Fellowship was once again left alone in the vast corridor.    
  


"What is this new devilry?" Boromir asked Gandalf.

"A Balrog, demon of the ancient world.  This foe is beyond any of you.  Run!"

As if snapped out of their trance, the Fellowship took flight.  They came to the end of the hall, and sprinted across a narrow stone bridge.  A seemingly bottomless abyss seemed to stretch under it.  

"Fly!  Over the bridge!  Fly!" shouted Gandalf.  

Angel chanced a glance over her shoulder and saw what looked like a  blazing fire blocking the archway.  The flames loomed up to the curved arch.  A creature of shadow and flames emerged from the inferno.  Shadowy wings were stretched out on either side of its body.  In one clawed hand it held a whip of fire.  

Angel stopped for a brief moment before she found the willpower to tear her gaze away from the demon and continue running.  Suddenly an arrow whistled past her ear and lodged itself into the ground, narrowly missing her.  Angel looked up as more arrows rained down on them.  Orcs were shooting at them from above.  

'_Man, these guys really hate us._'

Angel was already on the other side of the bridge when Gandalf's shout reached her ears.  She turned and saw the wizard standing on the stone overpass facing the fiery demon.  

"I am a servant of the Secret Fire, wielder of the Flame of Anor.  Go back to the Shadow!"

The Balrog cracked its whip against the side of the bridge and leapt forward.  

"You cannot pass!" Gandalf raised his staff and brought it down upon the stone.  A blaze of white flame rose up from the place where his staff struck.  There was a resounding _crack_ as the bridge split at that point.  The Balrog shrieked and plunged down into the void.  

The wizard waited for a moment before turning to join the rest of the Fellowship.  But even as the demon fell, it flicked its whip one last time and it wrapped itself around the wizard's ankle and pulled him over the brink.  For a moment, Gandalf clawed vainly at the edge, and seeing the Fellowship hesitating, he gave a final cry, "Fly, you fools!" and slid into the abyss.  

"NO!" cried Frodo.  "Gandalf!" 

Aragorn stared at the place where Gandalf had fallen in disbelief.

Boromir picked up Frodo and called to Aragorn, "Come, Aragorn.  We must heed his last command."

Boromir's voice seemed to shake Aragorn back to his senses and he turned and fled up the stairs and out into the light of day.

Um. . .would you like to review now?

Thanks to the Reviewers:  

Lady Light:  You were sick and still stayed up late to read my fic?  How sweet of you!  Anyway, get well soon and come back for more!

Roos:  yeah, I got the email.  Where exactly is Holland?  Is it in Europe?  If that was a really dumb question, just ignore it. lol.  Oh, and right after I replied to the email, I got all these great ideas for this chapter.  Hmm. . . Maybe you really are my muse.  But if you're my muse, that would make me your charge, right?  Just a thought.  

Salem:  yes, back again I see.  Yes, it was innocence.  This will be a slightly gory chapter, but this chapter is very important too.  Interested yet?  Then skip all my endless drivel and proceed to the story!  Oh!  You also asked when the Fellowship was gonna find out about Angel's powers in one of your reviews.  It's going to be a very gradual thing.  

ElvenWitch13:  Hey, you got the question right.  Yes, it was innocence but looks around and holds a finger to her mouth shhhhh!  Oh yeah, I forgot to mention this about your last review.  WHAT THE HECK DO YOU MEAN LEGOLAS IS ALL YOURS?!?!?!  If I had Leggy all to myself, I'd SHARE at least!  crosses her fingers behind her back   Midterms are over with, thank God.  I have all my grades back already, and I am very satisfied with all of them except for English.  

Songbreeze1125:  I was afraid that the recollection was a bit sappy, but I'm glad you thought it was sweet.  And yes, you got the innocence thing right too.  The Source is called what he is because he is The Source of All Evil.  He is the most evilest guy and has dominion over all the demons in the Underworld.  I looked up rapier in the dictionary and it seems to be the word I was looking for. 

Nikki:  I see that there's a part of you I never knew about.  That's okay, I have a voice in my head too.  But I don't listen to it.  Oh wait. . . Maybe it's my conscience.  Whoops.  shrugs  But like I said, block out the voice and all will be fine (unless you did something really bad and it's screaming for you to own up to it.  Then I'll know that you have a conscience too).


	6. Ch 6: A New Enemy From the Rowe Coven

Thanks to the Reviewers:  

Lady Light:  You were sick and still stayed up late to read my fic?  How sweet of you!  Anyway, get well soon and come back for more!

Roos:  yeah, I got the email.  Where exactly is Holland?  Is it in Europe?  If that was a really dumb question, just ignore it. lol.  Oh, and right after I replied to the email, I got all these great ideas for this chapter.  Hmm. . . Maybe you really are my muse.  But if you're my muse, that would make me your charge, right?  Just a thought.  

Salem:  yes, back again I see.  Yes, it was innocence.  This will be a slightly gory chapter, but this chapter is very important too.  Interested yet?  Then skip all my endless drivel and proceed to the story!  Oh!  You also asked when the Fellowship was gonna find out about Angel's powers in one of your reviews.  It's going to be a very gradual thing.  

ElvenWitch13:  Hey, you got the question right.  Yes, it was innocence but looks around and holds a finger to her mouth shhhhh!  Oh yeah, I forgot to mention this about your last review.  WHAT THE HECK DO YOU MEAN LEGOLAS IS ALL YOURS?!?!?!  If I had Leggy all to myself, I'd SHARE at least!  crosses her fingers behind her back   Midterms are over with, thank God.  I have all my grades back already, and I am very satisfied with all of them except for English.  

Songbreeze1125:  I was afraid that the recollection was a bit sappy, but I'm glad you thought it was sweet.  And yes, you got the innocence thing right too.  The Source is called what he is because he is The Source of All Evil.  He is the most evilest guy and has dominion over all the demons in the Underworld.  I looked up rapier in the dictionary and it seems to be the word I was looking for. 

Nikki:  I see that there's a part of you I never knew about.  That's okay, I have a voice in my head too.  But I don't listen to it.  Oh wait. . . Maybe it's my conscience.  Whoops.  shrugs  But like I said, block out the voice and all will be fine (unless you did something really bad and it's screaming for you to own up to it.  Then I'll know that you have a conscience too).

Ch. 6

A New Enemy From the Rowe Coven

_Necron_

_A skeletal being who hovers between life and death, Necron has the ability to incinerate any creature and feed on their life force. Be careful when pursuing him; the only two witches able to vanquish a skeletal being were incinerated in the process.  
  
_

Kendall's light honey-brown eyes scanned the brief paragraph.  She was in the attic, and the Book lay open on its podium before her.  Kendall expelled a sigh and reprimanded herself from getting sidetracked.  '_I'm supposed to be making a charm.'_

She flipped through the Book, skimming each page briefly for the charm she was looking for.  It was not the first time this had happened.  There had been other occasions too when she was flipping aimlessly through the Book, only to find herself reading that passage on Necron.  It was almost as if some outside force was influencing her.  

"I've got the mortar and pestle," said Adrian as he entered the room.  He set it down on the table next to a small black cauldron and walked over to Kendall.  "Found it?"

"Yeah," she answered as she stopped on one particular page.  "This is a pretty complicated potion, but I think we have all the ingredients we need."  Kendall picked up the Book and placed it next to the cauldron, and put her hands on her hips.  "All right then, let's get started."

Angel couldn't believe what had happened.  They were out of the mines now,  but she was barely aware of this.  Looking around at the scenes of grief around her, the witch hung her head in despair.  Why hadn't she been able to prevent Gandalf's fall?  And why hadn't she been able to prevent Frodo getting stabbed by the spear?  Already one of her charges was dead, and another would have died if it hadn't been for the mitril coat he had been wearing. '_I made a big mistake in volunteering for this._'

"Legolas, Gimli, get them up," ordered Aragorn as he cleaned his sword of blood.  

"Give them a moment, for pity's sake!" cried Boromir as he watched the grieving hobbits and Angel.  

Aragorn was adamant.  "This hill will be swarming with orcs by nightfall."  He sighed and looked over at the plains before them.  "We must make for the woods of Lothlorien." 

The Fellowship walked for hours over the flatlands under the blazing sun.  The scenery remained the same for a long while: pale blue-green grass, with the occasional heather and dry furze dotting the terrain.  

Angel wiped her sweaty forehead with a hand.  It was stiflingly hot, and her long black hair was attracting even more heat.  It could be a real curse to have dark hair under a full sun.  Wearing her hoodie was out of the question so she had taken it off and tied around her waist. 

She bit back a yelp of surprise as a grasshopper erupted out from the grass to her right.  And then there were the insects.  The grass was absolutely infested with bugs of every type, especially locusts and tiny midges.  There had never been a time when she had wanted her bug spray more.  '_I HATE nature!_' she thought angrily as she fought down the temptation to explode a two-inch long grasshopper that had tried to land on her arm.  

Legolas suppressed a laugh at Angel's frantic swapping of insects as she stepped into one particularly bug-ridden patch of grass.   It was strange that she should be so calm facing an attack by orcs, yet panic at the sight of creatures a hundred times smaller than her.  Angel ran up beside him, panting.  

"How is it that elves can stand living in the forests with all these – _vermin_?" she demanded.  

"I see that you are not accustomed to the wild," commented Legolas in an amused voice.

Angel shook her head.  "No, too much urban blood in me.  Whoever coined the term 'the Great Outdoors' must have been an elf.  Whatever happened to the Great Indoors?"  She fell silent and Legolas knew what was on her mind.  Ever since they had left the mines, she had an air of guilt about her.  Angel seemed to be taking Gandalf's death rather hard.

"I do not know why you seem to be blaming yourself for Gandalf's fall.  There is nothing that you could have done to prevent it, Angel." 

Angel looked at him in amazement.  '_This guy could pass for an Empath._'  "No, Legolas, you don't understand.  I _should _have been able to prevent it."

From the way she spoke, Legolas knew that she was keeping something from him.  He wondered if he should ask, but decided to do it subtly.  "You were not responsible for him, why do you feel that you were?"

"Because he was my innoce – "  Angel clamped down on her tongue when she realized the hidden meaning of that question.  How could she have been so careless?  Or perhaps it wasn't a subtle inquiry, maybe it was just an harmless question.  Either way, she had almost told him something that would make him suspicious.  Quickly, she scanned his face to see if he had picked anything up, but it betrayed nothing.  

Legolas knew that she had almost told him something important, but now he also knew that it was something she didn't want him to know.  He chose not to inquire any further and to let her tell him when she was ready and trusted him.  

Angel turned away so that he would not read anything more from her facial expressions.  '_Gosh, he is becoming more and more like Kendall by the moment.  First the emotion reading, now the suspicious questions._'

The landscape was changing now, and a thin line of trees, the edge of the forest, could be seen over the monotonous grasslands.   Angel grew silent and did not speak as Aragorn led them into the trees.  She was slightly disconcerted by what had just happened.  Was Legolas already suspicious of her?  But he didn't seem like he was trying to expose her, just curious.  And even if he had been able to figure out the rest of her statement, it wouldn't make sense to him unless he knew that she was a witch and what an innocent was.  So no harm done, right?  Except that now chances were he knew she was hiding something.  

"Stay close, young hobbits," said Gimli in a hushed whisper.  "They say that an elf-witch dwells in these woods, of terrible power."  Then straightening up proudly, he said, "Well, here's one Dwarf she won't find so easy to ensnare.  I have the eyes of a hawk and the ears of a fox.  Oh!"  The Dwarf stopped abruptly as he found an arrow being pointed at him.  

Elves dropped down from their hiding places in the trees with taut bows, surrounding the Fellowship.

Angel felt a sharp jab against her back.  She turned and stood face to face with an elf pointing an arrow at her head.  He was wearing an expression of perplexity.  He lowered the bow slightly.

"A woman?  Why is there a woman with you?"

Angel rolled her eyes.  "Sexist," she mumbled under her breath.    
  


The elf flushed and relaxed the bow.  "I'm sorry, my Lady."  Apparently it was against their customs to point an arrow at a woman.  

"The Dwarf breaths so loud we could have shot him in the dark," said another elf who seemed to be in charge of the others.  The faint traces of a smile hovered on his lips.  

Gimli glared at him contemptuously.  "Humph!  Aragorn, these woods are perilous.  We should turn back!"

The elf smiled and replied calmly, "You have entered the realm of the Lady of the Wood.  You cannot turn back."  

Aragorn turned to the elf.  "Haldir en' Lorien, lye anta baralle."

Haldir beckoned for them to follow.  "Come.  The Lady and Lord await."

It was a quiet afternoon in the Halliwell manor, something that Adrian, Wyatt, and Kendall hadn't counted on getting anytime soon.  Yet it came as a welcome time off.  Kendall came down from the attic, holding three objects in her hands.  She strolled into the living room where Adrian and Wyatt were lounging on the couches, watching football.  

The two men looked up from the TV.  Kendall tossed them both small packages, keeping one for herself.  "Here's the charms," she said, sitting down on the floor and helping herself to some popcorn.   

Wyatt looked over the charm.  It was wrapped in a thin black leather covering, and smelling faintly of vanilla.  "Will this work?"

"They should, but if they don't the Cleaners are going to have a hell of a job cleaning up after us if demons attack at the college."  Kendall put hers safely in her jeans pocket.  "Just don't lose them, because I'm not going to make a second batch."  

Adrian picked up the remote control and began flipping the channels when the football game went on commercial break.  Just then the phone rang.  Wyatt orbed the phone to himself and answered it.  "Hello?"  He heard the voice on the other end.  It was Darryl, a family friend who lived in San Francisco and the only person other than relatives who knew the Halliwell secret.  Darryl worked for the San Francisco Police Department and he used to cover up for them when it came to matters involving the police before they moved to New York.  

(A/N: BTW, I'm talking about Darryl Jr. here, the son of the Darryl that Piper, Phoebe, and Paige knew.)

"Wyatt, is that you?"  Darryl sounded distinctly breathless.    
  


"Hey man, what's up?"

"Well, I've got a little problem."

Wyatt instantly became alert at the tone that Darryl was using.  "Problem?  What's going on?"

"Oh, nothing big," said Darryl, forcing a calm voice.  "Just that demons are blowing up a mall."  

"Do you have an address?" asked Wyatt as he orbed a pencil and piece of paper.  He scribbled down an address, then said, "Okay, we'll be right there."

After he hanged up, Kendall looked at him anxiously.  "What was that all about?"

Wyatt turned off the TV.  "It was Darryl.  He said that demons are blowing up a shopping center."

"What?" 

"Demons are blowing up a shopping center in public?" asked Kendall incredulously.  "Do they not care anymore if magic becomes exposed?"

"Apparently not," said Wyatt before orbing up to the attic.  When he reappeared again, he was holding the Book of Shadows and handed it to Kendall.  "Come on, let's go." 

Wyatt held onto Kendall's wrist with one hand and Adrian's with his other and transported them to San Francisco on the other side of the country.  They found themselves in the back driveway of a large shopping complex.  They were facing a brick wall of the building with several large boxes of merchandise nearby that had just been shipped in.  Not far off in the distance they could hear the wail of sirens.

Adrian looked around their surroundings with a look of reminiscence on his face.  "I remember this place.  This is where Angel dragged us every Saturday for the special weekend deal."

Wyatt laughed.  "Oh yeah.  Remember that time when we got here late and all the good stuff was taken because you took forever getting up, and Angel held a grudge against you for a week?"

Adrian had on a look of indignation.  "If I remember correctly, that was because you –"

Kendall gave an exasperated sigh and cut across him, "Guys, we are here for a reason."

Wyatt smiled impishly.  "Sorry."

"Well, let's find Darryl and –" Kendall was cut off by a sudden earthshaking blast.

The brick wall a few feet to their left exploded and a column of dust and debris wafted through the air.  When it cleared, there was a hole about ten feet across.  Kendall cocked her head and said calmly as if this was nothing startling, "That would be our demon.  Let's go."

They ran around to the front of the complex where they met a chaotic melee.  There was rubble and chunks of concrete piled up at the entrance.  Police and firefighters were pulling out bleeding and dust-coated people from the wreckage.  Paramedics rushed to and fro carrying injured shoppers away on stretchers into waiting ambulances.  Kendall shifted the Book in her arms and searched the crowd for Darryl, trying to block out the pain of the wounded.  It was Adrian who found him first, talking into a walkie-talkie a few feet from an ambulance.   

"There, I see him."  

"Where?" asked Kendall, following his gaze.

Wyatt grabbed her arm and followed Adrian.  They weaved in and out of the crowd until they came face-to-face with Darryl.

He had not changed much since they had seen him last.  Darryl was tall and well built, with a light brown complexion like his father.  He returned the walkie-talkie to his belt and grinned despite the situation.  "God, it's so good to see you guys."  Then he realized who was missing.  "Where's Angel?"  

"Oh, that's a long story," said Kendall.  "So, what's going on?"

It was a pretty useless question.  Darryl waved expressively toward the half-collapsed shopping center.  "Do you need to ask?  That's what."  

"I see."

Darryl looked around to make sure that no one was within hearing range.  "A couple of cops went in, to find survivors.  I was one of them.  We got out most of the people, but the building collapsed before we could save everyone.  The demons – there's three of them."

Wyatt crossed his arms, and asked, "How do you know that they're demons and not lunatics with dynamite?"

"Because if they were lunatics with dynamites they wouldn't have blasted me against a collapsible wall."

Kendall stared at him.  "Oh, my God, are you okay?"

 "Yeah, it's just my back."

Wyatt placed a hand over Darryl's back and began healing him.  "So, where are the demons?"

"First floor, in a Bath & Body Works store was where I last saw them."

Kendall handed Darryl the Book of Shadows.  "Okay, we're onto it."

Darryl stared at the Book.  "What do I do with this?"

"Take it for safekeeping," said Wyatt.  "You don't expect us to hold onto it while we're fighting, do you?"

Before Darryl could reply, the three disappeared in a swirl of blue-white light.  

Once they were inside, Wyatt looked around and said, "Okay, here's what we'll do.  Split up and find anyone still trapped in here, orb them out, then we'll look for the demons.  Got it?"

Kendall and Adrian nodded.  

"If one of us find the demons first, call the others to him."  Wyatt contemplated for a while before saying, "I'll take the first floor, you and Kendall take the second floor.  If you need me, I'm just one call away."

Wyatt wiped his sweating forehead once his cousins orbed out.  Then he broke into a light run, looking in every separate shop, always alert for signs of an innocent in danger.   

Most of the shops were essentially demolished: ceilings caved in, shelves overturned, and rubble covering the floor.  In each one he entered, the Whitelighter called to see if anyone who might be buried beneath the ruins would respond.  In the first few minutes, Wyatt did not find anyone, but in the seventh shop he searched, instead of the dead silence that usually followed his call, there came a husky strangled cry in reply.

"Help!  Is anyone there?  Oh God, please. . ."

Wyatt's heart skipped a beat.  He licked his dry lips and said, "I'm coming.  Hold on."  He skipped over shattered glass and an upturned cart, making his way over to where he thought he had heard the voice coming from.  "Where are you?"

"Over here!  I'm in the next aisle."

The Whitelighter nearly sprinted around the shelf, and when he finally found who he was looking for, he nearly threw up everything he had eaten for lunch.  

A woman in her early twenties was sitting with her back against the wall, her hands soaked in blood and a metal pole impaled through her midsection.  A pool of blood had collected on the wooden floor beside her, staining the boards scarlet.  Her strawberry blonde hair was disheveled and covered in dust, and she was very pale. 

Wyatt knelt down beside her and took her wrist, and was startled when he found that he could barely feel a pulse.  "Oh man, we have to get you to a hospital."  But even as he was saying this, he wondered if he should just heal her instead.  She had lost a lot of blood, and he wasn't sure that she would last long enough to when she got medical attention.  But if he healed her, she would ask questions, questions that he could not answer.  Yet his job was to protect innocents, and what kind of a Whitelighter would he be if he just let this woman die?

Finally, he said, "Okay, I know how to save you, but I have to take out the rod first."

The woman looked at him in horror, but nodded.  "Do it fast."

Wyatt gripped the metal rod in both hands and got ready for a fast pull.  The woman closed her eyes tightly.  "After this comes out, I want you to keep your eyes closed until I tell you, all right?"

She nodded without questioning, and Wyatt realized that she trusted him.  The Whitelighter wrenched it out and winced at her gasp of pain.  Quickly, he laid his hands over the injury, saying quickly in case she should forget in her agony,  "Keep your eyes closed."

Then he started healing.  There was a golden glow around his hands and the wound began to close itself.  Her breathing came in deep smooth breaths instead of the short labored gasps as it had before.  He kept his gaze on her eyes to make sure that she was doing what he had told her.  He was ready to pull his hands away if she opened her eyes.  

"What are you doing?" she asked quietly.  "It doesn't hurt anymore."

Wyatt lifted his hands as soon as he saw that it was completely healed.  "You can open your eyes now."

Her eyes fluttered open, and the first thing she did was look at her midriff.  There was no sign that she had ever been hurt expect for her bloodstained clothes and her pale face.  She touched the place and drew a sharp intake of breath.  "Oh my God. . ."  

Wyatt helped her up.  "Please, don't tell anyone about that."  Now that his innocent was no longer at death's door, his fears of exposure returned.  He looked her straight in the eye.  "Don't breath a word to anyone.  I am risking a lot to save you."

She returned his gaze solemnly and said in a hushed voice, "You saved my life.  I swear I won't."

Her serious voice and grateful attitude allayed Wyatt's concerns somewhat.  "Let's find a way out of here then."

As they searched of a door out, the woman introduced herself.  "I'm Aleksa."

"Wyatt," said the Whitelighter.

Aleksa hesitated a moment before asking, "Are you an angel?"

"What?"  Wyatt tried to sound surprised, but was disturbed that she had come so close to the truth.  "Of course not."

They found the way to the back exit, and Wyatt held the door open for her.  Aleksa stood on the threshold and turned when she realized that Wyatt was not following.  "Aren't you coming too?"

Wyatt shook his head.  "No."

Aleksa's eyes widened.  "But it's too dangerous!  Those crazy bombers are still in there!"

Wyatt smiled reassuringly.  "Don't worry, I'll be fine.  Now, get yourself to a hospital, and remember your promise." 

Adrian ducked a well-aimed energy ball, and hurled his own in response.  The demon  held up his hand, palm outwards.  Adrian's energy ball came flying back at him like a boomerang.  The witch barely had enough time to respond before catapulting himself sideways over a row of bicycles.  The energy ball hit the a shelf, and it exploded with tremendous force.  Kendall helped her brother up and said, "I think it's time to call Wyatt."

Adrian kept a wary gaze on the demon and called.  "Wyatt!"

A cloud of blue-white light appeared in front of them.  Wyatt locked gazes with Adrian.  "You've found the demons?"

His question was answered when a powerful energy blast knocked him, Adrian, and Kendall off their feet.  The blast swept through the room, blowing up everything in its path.  Wyatt instinctively formed his force field around all three of them to give them time to recover.  He stood up and brushed himself off, taking in their present situation.  Three demons, each looking like normal people and cloaked in black were circling them like vultures.  Wyatt didn't recognize them as any type of demon that they had ever encountered before.  Kendall moaned and got up.  Wyatt hissed out of the corner of his mouth, "Do you know what kind of demons these are?"  

"No.  I don't read the Book for fun."

Wyatt leaned over and whispered to Adrian and Kendall.  "I think I have a plan.  When those two demons over there walk under that big shelf, you two flip it over on them.  I'll take care of the third guy."

They watched the demons, waiting for the right moment.  Once two of them were right under the tall shelf, Kendall and Adrian telekinetically knocked over the shelf.  There was a nasty crack of bone as the heavy metal crashed on top of the hapless demons.  The third screamed with rage and ran over to them.  Wyatt didn't waste a moment.  He deactivated the shield and threw a blue-white energy ball at him.  What happened next totally startled him.  Instead of erupting into flames, the demon whipped around in a split second and held out his hand.  The ball sizzled out before it even reached him.  Then he turned and with a telekinetic flip he threw the metal shelf off the other two.  Then all three of them shot out their hands and generated a violent blast.  

Wyatt, Adrian, and Kendall were thrown back clear across the room before slamming into the far wall.  Wyatt struggled to his feet with a painful effort.  He ran over to Adrian who lay facedown a few yards away from him and patted his shoulder anxiously.  To his great relief, Adrian groaned and sat up.  

"Where's Kendall?"  

Wyatt scanned the surrounding area before spotting her.  "There."  

She was lying next to mangled shopping cart.  She didn't wake up when Wyatt shook her, but he was relieved when he felt a pulse.  Adrian limped over and asked, "How is she?"  

"She looks fine, but looks like she's knocked out."  Wyatt surveyed the place.  After their fight the store was barely recognizable as a store anymore.  It looked more like a land dump, with tires, metal, and an assortment of bicycle parts strewn over heaps of racks, shopping carts, and concrete.  The demons were nowhere in sight.  

"We'd best get going," said Adrian.  "No use staying here anymore."

"Is there something wrong with your foot?" Wyatt asked.  Adrian was limping.  

He winced and sat down.  "I landed on my ankle and twisted it."  

Wyatt knelt down and put his hand over the broken ankle.  Adrian looked at his unconscious sister as his cousin healed him.  Then Wyatt lifted Kendall up.  "Let's go."

One hour later, Wyatt, Adrian, and Kendall were back in the Halliwell Victorian manor where they had grown up.  After the three had saved everyone that they could from the wreckage, Darryl gave them a ride back to the house where they had used to live.  Kendall woke up on the ride with a dim memory of everything that happened after they orbed to San Francisco.  

She walked into the living room holding a pack of ice over her forehead in an attempt to assuage her headache.  Adrian and Wyatt were sitting with Darryl and several members of the Halliwell family.  Piper and Paige were there, and so were Leo and Paige's husband Allan.  Piper and Paige looked much the same as ever, but older and the tasks of demon-hunting seemed to be finally catching up to them.  Leo had remained unchanged as he was immortal.  Allan was a tall man in his late forties, a witch, with light golden brown hair and dark brown eyes.   

Piper looked at Kendall fondly as she entered the room.  Kendall was so much like Phoebe, the sister that she had lost and missed so much.  

"Feeling better, Kendall?"

Kendall sat down next to her aunt and nodded.  "Much better."

The family reunion had been a happy event for the most part, but the atmosphere was grave and serious now.  

"Tell us everything about what's happened so far," said Leo.  

Together, Wyatt and his cousins recounted the tale from the day that Angel had turned up missing, to the discovery of the Source's plan, and everything that had happened since.  When they reached the part when they found out that Belthazor had come back and was part of the Source's plot, Piper, Paige, and Leo shouted in unison, "_Belthazor_?!"

Adrian looked at them in confusion.  "Yeah, Belthazor.  He's back."

"But – but we vanquished him," stammered Paige.  "We got rid of him!  How could he have come back?"  She turned to Piper.  They both shared the same thoughts and worries.  Angel, Kendall, Adrian, and Wyatt never found out about Phoebe's relationship with the half-demon, half-human Belthazor.  They had no idea about what had happened and how big of a problem Belthazor had become before they were finally able to vanquish him.  

Kendall knew that they weren't telling them something.  But she could also sense that it was something very personal, so she decided not to push it.  "Well he's back and more powerful than before."

Piper bit her lip.  Should she tell them now about her sister's love for a demon?  She wasn't sure if Phoebe would have told them when the time came.  They would have to find out eventually, whether she told them or not.  "Okay, go on."

Wyatt went on.  He didn't stop until he got to when Darryl called them that afternoon.  After he had finished, he looked around at his mother and father and asked, "So, do you think we did the right thing in sending Angel to Middle-earth?"

Leo sighed and patted his son on the back.  "Well, you didn't have much of a choice."  

Kendall sat down the ice pack.  "First off, we need to find out about those demons who attacked the mall.  We have to know what we're dealing with here."

"I'd like to know why they attacked in the first place.  I mean, demons showing themselves in broad daylight and using their powers freely is a bit out of the ordinary," commented Allan.    

Leo, who was the most experienced with demons and warlocks out of the group put forth his opinion.  "But demons going on killing sprees is not unheard of.  They could have had a purpose, or they could have done it for fun."

"Well, whatever the case may be, they were upper-level demons," said Kendall.  "I've never seen anyone react so fast."

"What were their powers?" asked Allan.

"Throwing energy balls, reflecting attacks, telekinesis, generating blasts, and possibly shimmering," said Wyatt, ticking them off on his fingers.  "Do you know what kind of demons these might be?"

Paige shrugged and threw up her hands.  "Nope."

Kendall opened the Book of Shadows.  She laid it down on the carpet before her and waited.  

Darryl raised an eyebrow.  "What is she –"

Leo silenced him with a quick "Shhhh!"

Darryl watched in silence with the rest of the Halliwells.  Sometimes an ancestral Halliwell spirit would lend a helping hand in situations like this.  Sure enough, a strong breeze blew in from the open window.  The pages of the Book turned with the wind, fast at first, but as the breeze began to die away, it settled on one particular page.  Kendall lifted it up and read aloud, "The Rowe Coven."

Adrian sat up straighter.  "The Rowe Coven?  Read it out loud, Kendall."

"An ancient line of warlocks, each generation of the Rowe Coven has grown stronger since the tenth century. No one can find a spell or a weapon that can stop them. A prophecy foretells of three brothers, descendents of the Rowe Coven, who are destined to become the most powerful force of evil the world has ever known."

"Then they weren't demons," said Wyatt.  "They were warlocks."

Kendall looked up from the Book.  "Then could the three warlocks we fought be the three brothers in the prophecy?"

"Most likely, yes," answered Leo.  

"But then we'll need the Power of Three to fight them!" said Adrian.  Piper and Paige nodded.  "We'd have to call Angel back to help us."

Wyatt opened his mouth to protest, but Piper, knowing what he was about to say, answered his unasked question.  "Even though this would be risky, it's necessary.  These warlocks have been doing a great deal of damage, even before the shopping center incident.  Right now, these warlocks haven't completely come into their powers yet, but they are becoming more powerful.  We have to stop them before they become unstoppable."

Allan spoke up for the first time.  "Well, how do we know that the second we take Angel out of Middle-earth Belthazor won't attack Middle-earth?  He could be waiting for this chance."

"She only needs to be gone for a few days," said Adrian irritably.  He wanted Angel back to help them fight the Rowe brothers, true, but his ulterior motive was that he wanted his sister safe at home again.  He had been against her going from the very start, and his view had not changed since then.  

"A few days is ample time for Belthazor to do what he needs to."

Adrian was about to erupt into an argument with his uncle when Piper stepped in and suggested, "Why don't we vote on it?"

Adrian glared at Allan, but nodded curtly.  "Everyone in favor of bringing Angel back."

Adrian's hand was the first to go into the air.  Slowly, others rose.  Kendall, Piper, Leo, and Darryl all voted to reconstitute the Power of Three in order to fight the Rowe brothers.  Only Allan, Paige, and Wyatt had not.  

Kendall looked around her, counting the votes.  "Then it's settled.  We're calling Angel back tomorrow."


	7. Ch 7: A Vision in Lorien

Thanx to the reviewers:

Lady Fae: Thank you for reading, especially since the beginning was quite bad and probably the hardest part to resist the temptation to stop reading altogether. Lol. 

yuhi-thedoerofevildeeds: Cyber café, huh?  I've never been in one before but it would be nice to be in a café and surf the web at once.    lol.  Thank you for the review (and come back soon!).

Angel312: The comment was nice, and thanks for taking the time to review.  Interesting that my main character and a reviewer would have the same name.  Lol.  

Alandra:  You'll just have to read on to see when the Fellowship finds out about Angel's witchcraft.  But I'll tell you now that it's not gonna happen right away.  It's one of those things where they get more and more suspicious, then something happens that she can't explain and. . . okay, I'll stop now before I give it away.  

Cindy: I had the idea for a Lotr/Charmed fic for quite a while before I ever got around to actually writing and posting one.  Guess I was just paranoid that people would flame.  But I'm glad that I did!  Yes, our all time favorite hot elf is gonna fall for her. . . 

BTW: Are you the same Cindy who reviewed before?

Songbreeze1125: Prue was cool, they so should not have killed her off!  runs over and strangles the script-writers geez, sorry if I forget everything I learned in 6th grade.  It WAS two years ago. . . shakes head but at least I remembered that Holland was in Europe! Lol.  Another thing, it wasn't colored dark blue on the map, it was dark GREEN!  HA!  Who's got the bad memory now?  sticks out her tongue  A list of all of Kendall, Adrian, Wyatt, and Angel's powers is at the end of the commentary.  

Roos: So, ARE you my muse?  Yes or no?  Straight answer plz, I'm no good at digging up hidden metaphors, which is why I suck at English.  And yes, this will be a Legolas/Angel, which will become a little clearer in this chapter.  hint hint  

ElvenWitch13: Thanx for coming back again, I promise I'll take a look at your other stories when I get the chance.  Rotk was a great book, but half of it was all appendixes, which was fine.  

Nikki: My faithful reader!  Well, I took your advice about the meeting at the fountain thing, and Kendall walks in on them. . . Nikki is ready to skip the rest of the commentary and jump straight to the chapter  No wait!  I'm not done yet!  reaches out and grabs Nikki back  But they don't kiss.  It's far too early for that.

Salem: You're back again!  runs over and gives her a hug  Switching between time realms is fun for me too.  Lol.  

Lady Light: Glad to see that you're better now.  What do I have in store?  Well, you'll just have to read to find out, won't you?

One of my reviewers asked about my characters' powers, and here it is:

Kendall: telekinesis, Empathy, premonitions, levitation, and astral projection.

Adrian: telekinetic orbing, teletransportation (orbing), throwing energy balls, telekinesis, and hovering.

Angel: pyrokinesis (throwing fire), molecular manipulation (exploding), temporary stasis (freezing time), and freezing (literally).

Wyatt: creating forcefields, telekinetic orbing, teletransportation (orbing), throwing energy balls, healing, hovering, and glamouring. (The full extent of Wyatt's powers is unknown, but since he is the most powerful magical being the world has ever known, there's more than what has been mentioned.)

Ch. 7

A Vision in Dreamflower

Kendall brushed her shoulder-length black hair out of her eyes.  She was in the living room looking through the Book for a spell that might help her in creating a time portal.  After the family reunion/meeting yesterday, she had volunteered to be the one to bring Angel back.  She grinned, knowing that Adrian had wanted to pick up their sister.  

The witch turned a page and her smile turned into a light frown.  Because she was an Empath, Kendall knew very well what Adrian's concerns for his younger sister were.  She too worried about Angel a lot, but not to the extent that Adrian did.  Perhaps the cause for his excess concern was that he was the oldest of the three and felt it his responsibility to watch out for his sisters.  Wyatt didn't understand why his cousin was so overprotective, but then again, Wyatt didn't have any younger siblings to worry about.  And Adrian did.  

From what she could sense, Kendall knew that Adrian felt guilty for going off to college and leaving Angel on her own with Wyatt.  But Kendall felt that there was no need to trouble over it.  Even if Wyatt was a bit immature and irresponsible sometimes, he took his job as their Whitelighter very seriously.  Besides, he was the most powerful magical being to have ever existed, and he was their cousin.  Who better to keep an eye on Angel?  

Kendall ran a hand through her hair and put her hands on her hips.  There seemed to be nothing in the Book about making portals.  The page in front of her had a spell to create a door, would that work?

Just then, Wyatt walked in with the Golden Retriever Comet at his heels.  He had gone back to New York the night before to pick up their dog.  "Found anything yet?"

"Does creating doors include creating doors through time?"

"Probably.  It's the person's intentions that counts, remember?"

"I guess," replied Kendall slowly.  "Well, it won't hurt to try."  She took a deep breath, and said,

"_When you find your path is blocked,_

_All you have to do is knock._"

Kendall drew a large rectangular shape in the air with her hand and knocked three times.  A door materialized in front of her, suspended about a foot off the ground.  Kendall exchanged looks with Wyatt, reached forward cautiously and pulled the steel doorknob.  It opened and they found themselves staring through the frame at a forest of strange trees with golden leaves and light gray, almost silver bark.

For a while they just gazed in awe.  

"Nice looking trees," commented Kendall.  

(A/N: How cool would it be to have a door to Middle-earth in your living room?)

"But how do we know it's the past?" asked Wyatt.

"Easy."  Kendall picked up a watch off the coffee table.  She held it through the frame and watched the hands spinning counterclockwise so fast that were just mere blurs.  She could even feel the faint vibration of the whirling hands.  "It's the past all right," she said, retreating the watch. 

Kendall stepped through and turned around to face Wyatt.  "Wow, it's weird to think that we're two feet apart, but separated by thousands of years."

"I know what you mean," said Wyatt.  "It's like something from The Twilight Zone."

"Haven't our whole lives been something from The Twilight Zone?" Kendall asked smiling.  "I'll be back soon."

"Take your time, you have plenty of it."

Kendall laughed and walked into the trees to find her sister.

Angel splashed cold water onto her face. She was leaning over a white fountain in a glade bordered by golden mallorns. Ever since they arrived at Lothlorien, she had not been able to shake off the feeling of guilt that she had allowed Gandalf to die.  She had gone wandering off into the woods of Dreamflower many times, hoping that some quiet time alone and isolation from people would help her get over it.  

This morning had been the same.  She woke up before anyone else was about yet, except for a few elves, had a quick breakfast, then went for a walk before anyone could stop her.  The rest of the Fellowship was devastated by the loss of the wizard, of course, but none of them except for Frodo felt it more than Angel.  

The young witch sat down on the broad ledge of the stone fountain.  Never before had she ever failed to protect an innocent, what had happened?  

She was so immersed in her thoughts that she didn't even notice Legolas entering the dell until he was right beside her.  Angel looked up startled, then seeing who it was lowered her head again, waiting for him to speak.  

The Sindarin elf sat down beside her, trying to think of something that could comfort her.  He didn't understand why she seemed to truly believe that Mithrandir's death was her fault.  "Let it go," he said softly.

Angel did not respond to this.  Of course Legolas didn't understand.  He wasn't a witch, he didn't know the obligations of protecting the innocent that came with being a witch.  

Legolas didn't know what caused him to do what he did next.  Perhaps it was pity that someone needed to experience death at this age.  He put an arm around her and held her close.  

Angel was totally startled by his action.  She flinched and almost pulled away before realizing how good his comforting touch felt.  When was the last time she had felt someone hold her like that?  Angel searched through her memory.  She didn't know and she didn't care.  It just felt nice that someone was close by in a time like this.  She rested her head on his shoulder and sighed.  "Thanks, Legolas," she mumbled indistinctly, not really expecting him to hear her.  

"We will stay in Lorien for a while.  Rest before we leave."  The elf listened to her slow and even breathing.  Then he tensed.  His ears picked up the sound of something moving through the vegetation.  They recognized the rustling sound of leaves and leaf litter and twigs crunching underfoot.  His sharp elven eyes swept the scenery around them, and they fixed on a shape that was flitting through the trees.  

Angel lifted her head up.  "What?"  Then a person stepped out from between two mallorns.  Angel gasped and freed herself from Legolas's embrace.  In her hasty movement, she overbalanced and fell over backwards.  Legolas reached over quickly and grabbed her arm just in time.  One split second later and she would have splashed into the fountain.  

"Thanks," Angel said shakily.  Then, turning her gaze to the new arrival, she asked incredulously, "Kendall?  What are you doing here?" she hissed.  

Kendall walked over with a teasing smile on her face.  "Did I just walk in on something?"  

"No!" yelled Angel a little louder than she had intended.  A faint pink blush crept up her cheeks.

Legolas looked from one to the other, the traces of mild suspicion and confusion evident in his voice.  "Do you know her, Angel?"

Kendall placed a hand on Angel's shoulder.  "I'm her sister."

"How were you able to get past the sentinels without them seeing you?"  asked Legolas suspiciously. 

"Oh, I – uh. . ."  Kendall faltered, not able to think up a plausible lie.  

The younger Halliwell bit her lip.  "Um, Legolas, could we have a private moment, please?"  

After a moment of hesitation, the elf bowed.  "If you wish, my Lady."  

Angel watched him walk off, trying to restrain a sigh of disappointment.  

Kendall fixed an amused grin on her sister.  It didn't take her Empathy power to figure out what Angel was thinking.  "You like him!"

Angel's head snapped back to glare at the older witch.  "No I don't!"  Then, at a skeptical raised eyebrow from Kendall, she sighed.  It was impossible to lie to an Empath.  "Okay, fine, so what if I do?"

"Nothing, just that I'll never figure out how you ever managed to snag a guy that hot."  Kendall replied.  She remembered what Legolas was feeling for Angel.  She could have sworn that the emotion he had been emitting was. . .   She decided to change the topic.  Turning serious, she said, "We need your help for a moment."

"Help?"  Angel asked.  "What, you mean the demon attacks are getting to be too much for you guys to handle back home?" 

"Warlocks," corrected Kendall.  "We're _only _fighting the most powerful force of evil to ever exist."

That caught Angel's attention.  "What does that mean?"

"It means exactly what you think it means.  We're fighting three warlock brothers from a line of warlocks called the Rowe Coven." 

Angel waited for her to go on.  

"But like you said, it isn't an easy job fighting off demons every hour.  They are really taking advantage of your absence, Angel.  Yesterday, Darryl called and asked us to help out with three Rowe warlocks who were wrecking San Francisco.  So we orbed over."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa.  Darryl called and you guys went clear across the country to fight some warlocks?"  

Kendall smiled.  "Is that really so far fetched?"  When Angel didn't respond, she went on.  "The Rowe brothers were tearing down a shopping mall when we got there."

Angel's jaw dropped.  "They were – what?" she cried.  "Destroying a mall?  With all those people to see them do it?  What are they trying to do, expose magic?"

"Yes, they were blowing up a mall in public.  And that was exactly my reaction too," said Kendall grimly.  

Kendall recounted everything that had happened ever since they had decided to let Angel stay in Middle-earth." 

At the end of the account, Angel shook her head.  "Letting my stay here was a big mistake."

Kendall immediately became alert at the guilt that she was sensing from her sister.  "What happened?"

"What?" asked Angel startled.

The older Halliwell fixed her with a piercing stare.  "You're feeling really guilty about something."

Angel turned away, the memory of Gandalf's fall burning fresh in her mind.  '_My job was to protect the Fellowship and I failed._'

Kendall suddenly felt the terrible remorse of failure, and in a softer tone, she asked gently, "Did one of your charges die?"

(A/N: okay, if this sounds really weird right now, just keep in mind that Kendall is an Empath.)

Slowly, Angel nodded her head twice.  "I don't understand why I wasn't able to prevent it."  

Kendall held both her hands in hers.  "It was meant to happen."

"It was meant to happen?  But Kendall, he was my innocent!  How could it have been meant to happen?"  Angel asked in disbelief.  Did Kendall not care that an innocent had died?

"Angel, you seem to be forgetting that this has all happened already.  Anything that Belthazor did not cause was destined to happen.  You cannot change the past," Kendall told her, her honey brown eyes locking with Angel's royal blue ones.

Angel nodded numbly.  Kendall's words caused her guilt to ebb somewhat, but the loss of the wizard was still painful.  

Kendall released her from her gaze.  "You have to let everything play out the way it's supposed to.  Time travel is risky, you don't know what consequences can result from saving someone who was meant to die."  She let go of Angel's hands.  "Come on, everyone's waiting for us. 

"So, how did you get past the guards?" asked Angel as she stood up and they went into the trees.  

Kendall winced.  "Oh, I kinda created a time portal."

"You created a time portal?" asked Angel in awe.  "Whoa Kendall, you're getting better and better at these spells."

She smiled weakly.  "Let's just find it.  The sooner we get back to the present, the better."

They walked in silence for a few minutes until they came across another clearing.  

Kendall looked around, musing.  "I remember passing this place.  The portal should be somewhere nearby."  

"Wait. . . Someone's here."  Angel said, indicating to a tall man sitting on one of the stone benches situated in the glade.  

He stood up and turned around when he heard Angel speak.  It was Boromir.  Angel couldn't help but notice that he was eyeing Kendall with great interest.  She couldn't blame him.  Kendall's shiny black hair, warm honey brown eyes, and slim figure made her irresistible to any guy who set eyes on her.  It looked like Kendall had just added a new name on her long list of admirers.  

Angel turned back to her sister and her jaw dropped when she saw the look on Kendall's face.  Instead of the apathetic expression that she usually wore when any guy gave her that look, she looked, if anything, lovestruck.  Her eyes were unfocused and glazed over, and she had completely unmoving.  It was like she had been frozen.  

'_Kendall and Boromir.  Who would have thought it?_'  She could practically see the sparks flying.  Angel nudged her sister in the ribs.  "Kendall, quit staring."  

Kendall snapped out of her trance abruptly, then blushed deeply when she realized what she had been doing.  "Then can you introduce us?" she whispered out of the corner of her mouth.

Angel smirked and led her over to Boromir.  "Hi, Boromir.  This is my sister, Kendall."

"It is a pleasure to meet a lady so fair as you, Lady Kendall," said Boromir, bowing.  

If possible, Kendall flushed an even deeper shade of pink.  "Likewise, Boromir."

Boromir straightened, and he was wearing a smile like Angel had never seen on him before.  '_Wow, does my sister have a way of doing this to guys._'  She backed away ten steps to give them some room to get acquainted.  

"Where do you hail from, Lady Kendall?"  

Kendall cast a quick frantic look at Angel that plainly read "What should I say?"

Angel answered quickly for her, "She came from a very far away land."  It wasn't very far from the truth.  

"And where would that be?" asked Boromir innocently.  

"Oh – um, you've probably never heard of it before, I'm sure," stammered Kendall.

"Would you like to try me?"

"No, I wouldn't."

Angel decided it was time to intervene.  "Uh, Kendall, we kinda need to go."

Kendall smiled weakly, then turned to join Angel.  "I'm sorry, we need to go now."  As she passed the Man of Gondor,  she brushed his shoulder slightly.  Instantly, her breathing became constricted.  Her knees buckled, and she knelt over, shaking convulsively.  

Angel ran over to her sister.  Boromir bent down beside Kendall.  "What's the matter with her?  Should I call for help?"

"No!" cried Angel.  "Don't worry, she'll be fine!"  She had seen this before.  Kendall was having a premonition.  There was nothing for her to do but wait until the vision ended.

"Are you sure?  She seems to be in a lot of pain," said Boromir uncertainly.  

"Yes I'm sure.  I'm her sister!"

Kendall was unaware of what was happening around her.  Images flashed through her mind, fleeting, but connected.  

_Boromir was trying to wrestle something out of Frodo's grasp.  The halfling suddenly put something on his finger. . . Kendall caught a glimpse of gold. . . and disappeared.  The scene changed.  Boromir was fighting off scores of orcs. . . His sword flashed brilliantly with every stroke.  A blur whizzed past, the next thing Kendall saw was Boromir with an arrow shaft sticking out of his chest. . . The scene changed again. . . A white boat with Boromir's body in it floated down a river, strangely surreal, yet vivid at the same time._

When the vision finally ended, Kendall sat up, breathing rapidly and drenched in cold sweat.  She looked at Angel, who reached out and offered her a hand up.  Kendall pulled herself up, and turned away from Boromir.  She couldn't bear to meet his eyes.   

"We have to leave," she said.  "Bye Boromir. . . and take care of yourself."

Boromir was confused.  Kendall had been writhing in pain only a few moments ago.  "Farwell Lady Kendall.  Until the next time we meet."

"Yes, until then," said Kendall, doing her best not to choke on the words.  Then she almost dragged Angel with her away.  It took all her willpower to keep herself from sprinting into the trees.  

"What did you see?" asked Angel anxiously.  Something was going to happen to Boromir.  

Kendall passed a hand over her eyes.  "I'll tell you when we get home."  At the same time, a soft voice in her head said, '_The past can't be changed.  Boromir's death was in the past.  I can't intervene._'

Sorry if this chapter was bad.  I wasn't in a writing mood when I wrote it.  This has been my second shortest chapter and I planned to make it longer, but I just don't have my heart into it right now, so I'm stopping here.  I wanted to edit this over the weekend and post on Monday, but then I decided that I was too lazy to do so.

And another thing, NO, this will NOT be a Legomance, no matter how much I made it sound in this chapter.


	8. Ch 8: Conflicting Emotions

Thanx to the Reviewers: 

Miriellar: Thank you, thank you. bows Hmm. . . yes, quite interesting what happens when LOTR gets crossed with Charmed. 

Soccer-Bitch: Glad you're enjoying this fic, come back for more soon, I hope.

Kurleyhawk2: Charmed is my favorite TV show, and I thought it might be cool to cross it with my favorite book.  It's like genetics – one very good thing crossed with another very good thing makes something completely new and, well, very good.  Lol.  

Minipoe: Lemme guess.  This is Britt, isn't it?  lol. Yup, c u l8r too.

Lady Fae: Read on, you'll find out what happens to Boromir.  The whole Kendall/ Boromir thing was a result of my feeling sorry that Boromir never falls for anyone.  

Nikki: I hope to keep up with my one-a-week updates.  And don't worry, more mushy love scenes are coming up soon. . . evil grin  I can just see the sparks flying. . . Your dark side didn't make an appearance?  See, I told you.  My advice always works, doesn't it?  Lol.  

Xoulblade: Well, I checked out your fics, the LOTR ones at least.  OMG, they are sooooo incredibly awesome!!!  I esp. enjoyed Gone, and the one x-over between  LOTR and Elf-something.  Can't remember the title.  Well, I mean the one with White Star and Twilight, though I don't quite understand the whole wolfrider idea.  

Songbreeze1125: Yes, a witch can more than one power.  Some have quite a few, like Wyatt.  And BTW, old was a figurative meaning, all right?  Chill. . . 

Salem: Angel's going back to the present, yes, but they'll find that it takes more than just the Power of Three to defeat the Rowes. . . Hmm. . . should I or should I not have her intervene with Borri's fate. . . shrugs  

Cindy: So you were the same Cindy as before.  Great, I have another reviewer to add to my list of returning reviewers!  Koolio!

Ch. 8                                                                                                                                                 

Conflicting Emotions

Angel held her silence and followed her sister through the forest.  The mallorns blended together into a blur on either side of them.  She was just wondering when they would find the portal when she saw a strange sight.  As they got closer, Angel realized that she was looking through a wooden frame in the midst of the vegetation at a living room. . . a living room that looked oddly familiar. . . 

"You go first," said Kendall.  Angel stepped up and pulled herself through.  She turned around and held out a hand to Kendall, who grabbed it and followed.  

Angel looked around and recognized the place as the Halliwell manor back in San Francisco.  It hadn't changed much in their absence.  The same furniture in the same places, a few picture frames on the mantelpiece. . . 

Kendall pushed the door closed, and it disappeared.  "We're back!" she called.  Almost instantly, Adrian, Leo, Wyatt, and Paige orbed into the room.  They were followed by Piper who came running down the stairs.  Piper and Paige beamed at Angel.  

"Welcome back, Angelyn!"

Angel smiled back and ran over to give her aunts a hug.  "I missed you."

"We did too," said Piper.  "Great, so everyone's here now." 

Adrian patted his sister on the back.  "Hey kid.  So what was it like in the past?"

"Weird.  People were so formal back then."  She looked at each of the Halliwells in turn.  "So, what about these Rowe warlocks?"

"Well, we know barely anything about them, except that they are powerful and the Power of Three will be needed for this job," said Wyatt.  "We know that they can't be vanquished by a spell though."

Angel walked over to the map of San Francisco and crystal pendant that they had been using to scry for the warlocks.  "And you don't know where they are?"

"No," said Kendall.  "But we have an advantage because they haven't finished learning the craft yet, and so their powers aren't completely mature."

Angel picked up the quartz crystal and dangled it over the map.  "Can we summon them?"

"Haven't tried that yet, but sounds like a good idea," said Leo.  

Angel looked away from the map.  "If they are learning to control their powers now, then the sooner we vanquish them, the better."  Suddenly, she felt a light tug at the pendant.  It was drawn to a spot labeled _The Hillview Cemetery _on the corner of two small streets.  "Forget the summoning spell, looks like they've surfaced."

The Hillview Cemetery was one of the more depressing parts of the city.  It had been around ever since the early 1800's, and since then it had grown from a small neighborhood burial site to the large graveyard it was today.  

It was twilight, and the moon and stars were shining dully through a sky of grey clouds.  Mist swirled thickly through the cemetery, giving it an eerie surreal feeling.  

Kendall peered out from behind the giant headstone that the Charmed Ones and their Whitelighter were hiding behind.  She could see the faint outlines of the Rowe brothers through the fog, who were conversing in hushed whispers.  Turning back to the others, she said as quietly as she could, "I see them.  What now?"

Wyatt strained his eyes trying to see through the mist.  "What are they doing?"

Kendall shrugged and turned back to watch the warlocks.  One of them knelt down on the ground and walked around slowly in a circle, pausing every now and then.  Kendall stared with mounting confusion.  What the hell was he doing?  Then a tiny flame appeared close to the ground, it's sudden brilliance cutting through the haze.  The light illuminated a small patch, and Kendall could make out a cylindrical shape, with the flame flickering above it.  A candle?  A second candle was ignited, then a third.  Kendall counted as a total of five candles were lighted.  The combined light from them was enough for her to see that the candles were arranged in a circle, with white gleaming sticks that looked unpleasantly like bones placed on the grass between them so that they formed a pentagon, with a candle on each of the five corners.  

Kendall looked over her shoulders and said, "They're performing some sort of ritual."

Adrian nodded.  "Come on.  Let's pay them a little visit."

The four of them rose up from their crouching position.  Even as they did so, the voices of the warlocks rang out through the still silence. 

"_Spirits of the past long dead_

_Warlocks of the Rowe coven _–"

Kendall felt a shudder of horror ripple through her spine at the realization of what was happening.  "They're performing a seance!"  If the warlocks were really calling their ancestors back from the dead, the Charmed Ones would be in more trouble than they could have ever imagined.  

The chant continued.  "_Return now from your resting bed –_"

Adrian, Wyatt, and Angel raised their hands to let loose their power upon the warlocks.  

Two sizzling white hot energy balls and one red-orange fireball flew through the air, each aiming for a different Rowe brother.  Caught off guard, the three warlocks were thrown backwards and hit the ground with loud thuds.  Instead of bursting into flames and disappearing into a cloud of smoke as they had expected, the warlocks got up, bruised and surprised, but not vanquished.  

Kendall seized the chance.  She waved her arm in a swiping motion, telekinetically scattering the candles and bones in all directions.  '_There_,' she thought.  '_At least they can't summon the rest of the Rowes now._'

Four more energy balls were sent at the warlocks in a second attempt to vanquish them.  This time, the Rowes sent their own attacks in response.  Wyatt narrowly dodged the one aimed for him, and Kendall used her telekinesis to deflect the one meant for Angel.  Adrian, however wasn't so lucky.  The energy ball hit him straight in the chest and sent him flying back, and he landed over a headstone with a nasty crack of bone.  

"Dammit!" she heard him yell.

The youngest Halliwell knelt down beside him.  "Are you okay?"  She could see in the dim light what looked like a white splinter was protruding from his leg. "Is that. . ."

"Yes, I broke my leg."  Adrian pulled himself up, his face contorted by anguish, then saw one of the warlocks shimmer behind Angel.  "Look out!"  He pulled Angel out of the way, held out his hand and shot out a searing blue-white energy ball at the warlock, who deflected it easily with a quick flick of his wrist.  They watched in frozen horror as the warlock formed an energy ball in his palm.  

Wyatt, who saw his cousins' predicament, abandoned his battle with the oldest Rowe brother and quickly orbed beside them, forming the forcefield around all three.  The energy ball was averted and the warlock snarled viciously, raising his hand to deliver a violent energy blast.

Kendall telekinetically lifted a large chunk of rock off the ground and hurled it as hard as she could at him.  The well-aimed boulder battered him in the back of the head.  He collapsed forward, unconscious, right into Wyatt's shield.  Electrocuted by the high voltage field of the shield he fell back, shaking violently in convulsive fits.  

Adrian, and Wyatt flung energy balls at the warlock.  The energy balls merged together as one, wreathed by Angel's fireball and propelled forcefully forward by Kendall's telekinetic power.  The warlock screamed in torment as he was engulfed by flames when the attack came in contact with his skin.  

The Halliwells watched in breathless silence as the Rowe disappeared in a wisp of smoke, and the shrieks were cut off suddenly.  

Angel was panting and shaking uncontrollably.  She could still hear the tortured howls ringing in her ears.  

The other two Rowe brothers stood in shock for a while, then rounded on the Halliwells, approaching with menacing looks.  

Angel saw their eyes, burning with grief and the lust for vengeance and shivered.  These warlocks were going to avenge their fallen brother.  She felt Adrian's hand grab her wrist and the next thing she knew, her vision was obscured by blue-white light.  When her vision was cleared again, they were no longer in the graveyard, but back into the warm comfort of the Halliwell manor.  

She didn't even notice Piper, Paige, and Leo run up to them.  The memory of the Rowe warlock being vanquished and his vengeful brothers burned fresh in her mind.  

Piper smiled at them.  "How did it go?"

Kendall didn't answer the question.  She jumped up and ran over to the door.  Piper watched her with raised eyebrow.  "Kendall?"

As fast as she could, Kendall explained hastily, "Quick, we need a protection spell fast!  The Rowes will be here any second."  Calm, with a level head as always in frantic situations, she thought for a while, then recited a makeshift spell.

"_Fire, water, earth, metal and air_

_Cast in cosmic primal brine_

_Bid the Rowes beware_

_No passage through this door I bind._"

Kendall backed away and let herself collapse onto the couch with an exhausted sigh.  

Paige placed her hands on her hips and demanded an explanation.  "Okay, what happened?"

Adrian sat down on the carpeted floor and stretched his broken leg out for Wyatt to heal.  "We managed to vanquish one of the Rowe warlocks, and now the other two are out for revenge."

"And you're on the run from two mad-with-rage warlocks?"

"Basically," said Wyatt as he healed Adrian's leg.  Then he got up and picked up a basket of enchanted satyrite crystals lying on the coffee table and walked around the room, stopping every now and then to place a crystal down.  The crystals glowed faintly as they were activated.  Wyatt orbed to the other rooms of the house to do the same.  

(A/N: Crystals may be enchanted and placed in a circle to entrap a demon or warlock in a forcefield.  Wyatt is doing this for protection against the warlocks in case they should get past Kendall's spell and break into the house.)

Devin Rowe glared at the Halliwell manor in loathe.  The loss of his younger brother Darien was overwhelming for the warlock.  Not having Darien by his side was like having a gaping hole in his own existence.  Silently, he cursed the witches who had vanquished him.  '_They will pay for what they have done._'  Then turning to Derek, the former youngest brother, he said vehemently, "We will avenge him."

The younger Rowe nodded, and answered, his voice bitter with anger and hate intertwined with grief.  "Why wait?  Why not attack now?"

Devin sighed.  Derek was still young and inexperienced in magic and fighting.  "Because, the witches will be on the alert, and knowing the Charmed Ones, they will have set up spells to protect themselves."  Devin saw the hate smoldering in his cold grey eyes.  "We will pay them back, brother."  Then, to himself he said, '_It is only a matter of time now, witches._'

Piper pulled a batch of brownies out of the oven and sat them down on the coffee table to cool.  She turned away to get plates, calling, "And Wyatt, don't try to taste-test anything before they've cooled."

The Whitelighter dropped the steaming brownie he was holding and smiled mischievously like a five-year-old.  

An hour or two had passed, and so far, Kendall's protection spell seemed to be working.  The Halliwells were spending some family time together that they had not been able to do in years.  

Piper returned with plastic plates and distributed them among the six people seated in front of the TV.  Then standing before her younger niece, she suggested, "Angel, why don't you go take a shower and get into some more comfortable clothes?  Traveling back in the past is hard on the modern teen, huh?"

Angel smiled gratefully.  "It could have been worse," she said, straightening up and walking upstairs.  

Half an hour later, Angel was in her room, feeling refreshed and energetic.  After taking a long hot shower, she changed into a comfortable outfit, a hot pink T-shirt and sweatpants.  

Kendall walked in, and leaned against the doorway with a troubled expression on her face.  "We need to talk."

Angel turned, and seeing the look on her face and the anxiety in her voice, she asked, "Hey, what's up?"

Kendall sat down on the bed, closed the door telekinetically and patted the spot beside her, signaling for Angel to sit down beside her.  The younger Halliwell did, and prepared herself for a drawn-out Kendall-lecture.  

Kendall looked her in the eye intently.  "You asked what I saw in the premonition," she started.

Angel tensed, and suddenly remembered what had happened in Lorien.  "Yeah?"

"Well, I guess it's safe to say that one of the Fellowship hasn't got much time to live. . . It's Boromir. . . he's going to. . ." Kendall's voice broke and she didn't finish. 

The other witch gasped.  "He's going to die?"

Speechless, Kendall nodded, and forced herself to break the news to her.  "But you _can't _save him."

Angel felt shock enter her system.  "_What?_" she asked incredulously.  "But I have to!  He's my innocent.  It's my job."

Kendall shook her head vigorously.  "No, your job isn't to prevent the Fellowship from dying."  She saw the doubting look on her sister's face grow even deeper and went on.  "Your job is to prevent Belthazor from intervening anything that's supposed to happen, and that includes Boromir's death."

Angel shook her head in disbelief and horror, and when she spoke, she found herself speaking in a low undertone.  "But Kendall, I've already lost one, and then, I didn't see it coming.  But now that I know what's going to happen, how can I just stand by and let another innocent die?"

Kendall fought back bitter tears.  "Angel, I know how it hurts, trust me, I do," she said as she felt her sister's emotions.  "And I want him to live as much as you do, even more –"  Kendall remembered the way she had felt near him, how he felt about her. . . "But you can't change history.  If you do, there's no knowing how that might alter everything the way they are now.  And we can't take that risk."  She put as much emphasis as she could 

on those last words.  

"But what harm could possibly come out of saving an innocent's life?" 

Kendall looked away.  As much as she came to feel for the Man she had known for so short a time, she knew that he had a dark side, and that part of him had already begun to take over.  Her Empathy power allowed her to sense it.  "What if he wasn't so innocent?"

"What do you mean?"  Angel searched her sister's face questioningly, trying to read her thoughts.  "Are you saying that he's evil?"  She could not believe that Boromir was evil, he was brave, loyal, and a noble Man. 

"No!" Kendall replied sharply.  "He's a good person at heart, I believe that, but the Ring is starting to corrupt him.  Sooner or later, it will consume him."  She thought back to her vision.  "When I had the premonition, I first saw him trying to take the Ring by force."

The younger sister's jaw dropped.  "_He tried to take the Ring?_"  Boromir wouldn't do that, the whole reason he was chosen as part of the Fellowship was because he was trusted to help protect the Ring, not steal it.  But then she remembered the strange gleam in his eyes every time the Ring was mentioned.  At those times, she had brushed it off, not really thinking that it meant anything important.  But if what Kendall said was true. . . then could he really be better off dead than corrupted and evil?

And if she saved him, would he proceed to taking the Ring anyway?  If he did, then Angel would have failed in her mission at any rate.  She turned back at Kendall, and by the additional brightness of her eyes, she knew that she was on the verge of tears.  '_It's even harder on Kendall_,' Angel realized.  '_She must really feel strongly about this to not let her feelings for Boromir interfere with her decision._'  Holding her sister's hands in her own, Angel spoke at last.  "You're right."  And she gave her a small hug in an attempt to comfort her.

Kendall returned the hug feebly.  "I wish there was some other way."

Angel pulled away.  "So do I, but like you said, the past cannot be changed."  Forcing a weak smile, she added in hopes of lightening up the situation, "Now, come on.  Let's go back outside.  I want to have a chance at those brownies before Wyatt eats them all."

Wow, these chapters are getting shorter and shorter, but then again, that's how some people like them.  

Thanx to the Reviewers:

Lady Fae: Wow, is the Boromir die or not die thing really creating such a racket?  Almost all of my reviewers are asking about Boromir's fate.  But you won't find out until I get to that point in the story.  

Roos:  Thanks so much for being such a consistent reader.  And thank you for being my muse also.  I'll ask for help when the deadly disease called writer's block hits me, but for now I have plenty to write about.  English is my first language, but I also know Chinese and a tiny bit of Spanish and Elven.   I have already decided Boromir's fate, but readers won't find that out quite yet.  evil cackle  

Nikki: Don't worry, all shall be revealed. . . eventually snickers  Angel and Leggy make out, huh?  Interesting concept. . .   And I have read each and every single one of your reviews quite thoroughly. winces painfully

Soccer-Bitch: Thanks for coming back again.  It's always nice to see readers returning to read the next chapter.  Hope you'll be back soon!

Songbreeze1125: Back again I see.  Yay!  Like everyone else, you wanna know what I'm gonna make happen to Borri.  And, as I've said to everyone else, you'll just have to wait and see.  Heehee.  I'm gonna miss the double reviews. 

Lady Light: There won't be much about the guys in Middle-earth in this chapter either, but I added a small passage or two on your account.  Don't you just feel so special?  Lol

ElvenWitch13: Sry I still haven't gotten around to reading your updates, but cross my heart and hope to die, I will!  Thanks for your support.  "One of the best I've read"  I'm flattered.

Miriellar: Glad you enjoyed the last chappie.  Hope that the rest will live up to your expectations.  Lol

Alandra: Sry that I didn't reply to you in the last chapter.  It's just that I posted the chapter before I checked to see if I got any more reviews.  I'm glad to see that you've started watching Charmed.  Don't you agree it's an awesome show?  But I missed the last two episodes.  breaks down and starts sobbing

You guys rock!  bows formally Thank you, thank you.  ditches the formal act and pulls everyone into a huge Telitubby hug 


	9. Ch 9: Suspicions Among the Fellowship

Thanx to the Reviewers:

Lady Fae: Wow, is the Boromir die or not die thing really creating such a racket?  Almost all of my reviewers are asking about Boromir's fate.  But you won't find out until I get to that point in the story.  

Roos:  Thanks so much for being such a consistent reader.  And thank you for being my muse also.  I'll ask for help when the deadly disease called writer's block hits me, but for now I have plenty to write about.  English is my first language, but I also know Chinese and a tiny bit of Spanish and Elven.   I have already decided Boromir's fate, but readers won't find that out quite yet.  evil cackle  

Nikki: Don't worry, all shall be revealed. . . eventually snickers  Angel and Leggy make out, huh?  Interesting concept. . .   And I have read each and every single one of your reviews quite thoroughly. winces painfully

Soccer-Bitch: Thanks for coming back again.  It's always nice to see readers returning to read the next chapter.  Hope you'll be back soon!

Songbreeze1125: Back again I see.  Yay!  Like everyone else, you wanna know what I'm gonna make happen to Borri.  And, as I've said to everyone else, you'll just have to wait and see.  Heehee.  I'm gonna miss the double reviews. 

Lady Light: There won't be much about the guys in Middle-earth in this chapter either, but I added a small passage or two on your account.  Don't you just feel so special?  Lol

ElvenWitch13: Sry I still haven't gotten around to reading your updates, but cross my heart and hope to die, I will!  Thanks for your support.  "One of the best I've read"  I'm flattered.

Miriellar: Glad you enjoyed the last chappie.  Hope that the rest will live up to your expectations.  Lol

Alandra: Sry that I didn't reply to you in the last chapter.  It's just that I posted the chapter before I checked to see if I got any more reviews.  I'm glad to see that you've started watching Charmed.  Don't you agree it's an awesome show?  But I missed the last two episodes.  breaks down and starts sobbing

You guys rock!  bows formally Thank you, thank you.  ditches the formal act and pulls everyone into a huge Telitubby hug 

Ch. 9

Kendall watched Angel leave the room.  She could tell that the younger Halliwell was horrified that Boromir needed to die.  She couldn't blame her.  Deliberately allowing a charge to pass on at need was one of the hardest things for a witch to do.  And her own feelings about Boromir couldn't interfere with it either.  

Kendall closed her eyes in mental pain.  It felt like she was bleeding inside.  Although she had only known Boromir for a few hours, the roots of love were already taking hold.  '_Falling in love with a man from the past is a temptation of fate.  It can't work_,' said the voice of reason within her.  

And that brought up another topic: what Angel was feeling for the elf.  From what Kendall sensed between them, Angel was really only feeling a childish infatuation for him, and the elf was just fond of her, not quite true love. . . yet.  It might not be true love now, but Kendall was sure that that was what it could become sooner or later.  And would inevitably lead to complications on risky mission like this.  Kendall could do nothing about it, but she just hoped that it didn't develop into love. 

It had been hours since Angel left with the stranger who claimed she was her sister.  The veil of night had fallen over Lórien and the elven city was sleeping beneath a starless winter sky.  Legolas was sitting beside Aragorn at the foot of an ancient mallorn, contemplating whether he should tell Aragorn his suspicions about Angel.  Would the Ranger even believe him?  

The Heir of Isildur was lying on his back gazing into the heavens.  Sensing the discomfort of the elf, he asked without moving, "Mani naa ta' tanya rashwe lle, Legolas? [What is it that troubles you, Legolas?]"

Legolas hesitated for a while, then decided to confess his fears.  Aragorn had probably begun to suspect things too.  "Angel naa nurtien nat' tuulo lye [Angel is hiding something from us]."

Aragorn nodded in agreement.  "Uma, nan' feith ten'he nyar lye iire re naa desiel. [Yes, but wait for her to tell us when she is ready.]"

"Amin n'rangwa mankoi re nurta nat' tuulo lye. [I don't understand why she would hide anything from us.]"

Aragorn sighed and answered in the Common Language.  "Let her be, Legolas.  I have been watching her.  Gandalf was right about what he said; Angel isn't all that she seems to be.  If she is hiding something from us, then she must have a reason for it, but I want her to know that she can trust us."

"But why did Gandalf want her to join the Quest?  He must have known something that we do not."

The Ranger shared the same thought.  "Yes, I deem it must be so.  Mithrandir would not have made such a choice in haste.  Angel has a purpose in traveling with us, or she would not be here."

The wood-elf paused for a moment, remembering the maiden who came to Angel at the fountain.  "Angel has a sister."

"Does she now?" Aragorn said without understanding why Legolas was bringing this up.

"Yes.  Her name is Kendall, and she came to Angel a while ago and asked that she may speak with her."

The Ranger sat up swiftly.  "Angel's sister is in Lórien?  Do the guards know?"

Legolas shook his head.  "I do not believe that they do.  She managed to get past the March-Wardens somehow.  When I asked her how, she avoided my question."

Aragorn was staring at him with a questioning look.  "How do you know she is Angel's sister?"

"Angel seemed to recognize her, and that was how she introduced herself," replied Legolas.  "They still have not returned."  Turning to the Man with a worried look on his face, he added, "Perhaps we should search for them."

Aragorn seemed troubled, but he advised, "No, that may not be necessary.  If Angel trusted this mysterious maiden enough to go with her, then there is no need for alarm.  She can take care of herself." 

The woodland elf sighed and lay down on his back.  '_I hope you're right._'

The next morning at the Halliwell manor, the house was bustling with the usual morning activities.  Piper and Paige were setting up breakfast for everyone in the kitchen and Leo was going around to each of Wyatt, Adrian, and Angel's rooms, waking them up.  

Kendall, being the morning person as always, was already up and about without the slightest trace of sleepiness.  Completely contrasting to her energetic vivacity were Angel and Adrian who were coming down the stairs, stumbling on every third step and yawning.  

Piper smiled brightly up at them.  "Oh come on you two.  You went to bed at eight-thirty last night.  Look at Kendall."

"Aunt Piper, it's the crack of dawn," whined Angel as she collapsed onto the couch and lay there unmoving.

"Exactly, and you guys still have two warlocks to hunt down and vanquish," replied Piper.   "Now where's Wyatt?"

Her question was answered when Wyatt orbed down.  He was still half asleep with his hair unkempt.  "What are we doing up at six in the morning on a Saturday?" he asked, stifling a yawn.

Kendall pushed him into a chair at the dining table.  "We need to find those two warlocks and vanquish them ASAP."

Wyatt slouched in his chair and helped himself to toast.  Following his example, Angel and Adrian sat down and starting eating.  Piper, Paige, and Leo sat down as well.  

Piper glanced at her son.  "Oh, and Wyatt. . ."

Wyatt looked up.  

"After you finish breakfast, I want to talk to you for a moment."

He nodded.  

The Halliwells ate in silence, the quiet broken only by the occasional clatter of silverware.  Finally, Piper stood up and beckoned to Wyatt to come with her.  He finished the last of his meal and followed her up to the attic.  

Once they reached the second floor, Piper turned to him.  "Wyatt, you remember the sword Excalibur I showed you on your eighteenth birthday, don't you?"

The Whitelighter searched in his memory.  "Yeah. . ."  The sword Excalibur was a weapon of great power and made anyone who used it unstoppable.  It was the sword of the legendary King Arthur, ruler of Camelot.  Wyatt was one of the chosen few who were destined to wield the sword.  On his eighteenth birthday, Piper had presented to him the sword for the first time.  

"Well," said Piper slowly as they approached the attic door.  "At the time, I didn't allow you to take the sword because I wasn't quite sure if you were ready to use it.  But now, with all the experience you have with fighting evil, I think it is time for you to take it."  

Wyatt could barely contain his rising excitement as they opened the attic door.  A single shaft of sunlight fell on a magnificent sword buried up to a foot from the hilt in a large stone anvil.  

Piper smiled fondly.  "Go ahead."

Wyatt unconsciously held his breath as he laid a hand on the hilt and withdrew the sword from the stone.  It came out easily in his grasp.  He marveled at the pulsating flow of strong magic that seemed to automatically connect him with the sword.  

"Does it suit you, your Highness?" she asked teasingly.  

"This is amazing," Wyatt breathed in awe.  

Angel smiled back weakly.  "Wish us luck," she said shakily.

"As long as you come back in one piece," said Paige, trying to disguise her concern with a cheerful manner.  

This didn't fool Kendall, of course, and she said reassuringly, "Don't worry.  We'll be fine."

Leo patted his son on the back.  "We're proud of you guys."

The Halliwell kitchen disappeared in a swirl of brilliant blue and white lights.  When her vision cleared, Angel found herself in the Hillview Cemetery again.  The ominous clouds above it seemed to filter out all sunlight.  The graveyard was as grey and forlorn as the last time they had been here, even though now it was daylight.  

The long abandoned streets nearby were grown over with weeds and cracked with years of exposure to the elements.  The familiar sounds of civilization were nonexistent here in this corner of the city.  

Which was why this was an ideal place for the Rowes to summon their ancestors.  

Angel shuddered and turned her attention to the two shadowy figures at the far end of the cemetery.  They were speaking to each other in low undertones.  Angel strained her ears to try and catch what they were saying, but the still air muffled the words, blending them together in a dull drone. 

Suddenly the conversation ceased all at once.  The two warlocks turned in their direction, and Angel knew that their presence was no longer a secret.   

With enraged snarls, both warlocks sprang forward.  An energy ball flew past Angel's ear, missing her by mere millimeters.  The air in the path of the attack was scorching hot from its heat.  Angel turned her attention back to the warlock running towards her.  She flicked her hand to explode him, but suddenly he wasn't there anymore.  Angel blinked.  She scanned the surrounding area for the warlock, but he was nowhere to be seen.  

Where would a warlock shimmer in combat?  Wherever his opponent was unprotected, and that would be her back.  Of course!  Angel whirled around and barely had enough time to dodge the second energy ball.  But dodging it also threw her off balance.  She landed hard on her side.  

The warlock stood over her, the lust of revenge glinting in his cold grey eyes.  He held up his hand, palm outward.  Angel could only watch in frozen horror as another energy ball took form in his hand.  

"This is for my brother Darien," he hissed.  

At the last split-second, Angel's instincts kicked in and she kicked up with all the strength he could manage in her position.  The warlock grunted as she landed a forceful kick in his stomach.  The energy ball went flying upwards and was lost from sight.  

The witch seized the chance and scrambled up.  She flicked her wrist and her opponent froze.  Angel knew that her own attack alone would not be enough to vanquish him.  Once time resumed, she would be in the same place as she was before.  She looked around for help, but Adrian and Wyatt had their hands full with the other Rowe.  

Suddenly, Kendall was up beside her.  Breathlessly, she gasped, "You alright?" 

Angel nodded.  "Fine.  What do I do with him?" she asked, indicating to the frozen warlock on the ground.  

Before Kendall could reply, the warlock sprang back into action.  Clutching his stomach and grimacing in pain, he staggered to his feet.  He held up his hand, palm outwards, and an electric blue lightning bolt flew through the air at the two witches.  

Angel threw up her arms to freeze it, but instead, the bolt sprang back and rebounded upon the warlock.  It struck him square in the chest, and flames began to swallow him up from the point where the lightning bolt hit him, then spread over his body like a raging forest fire before he vanished.

Kendall turned to her sister with a slight grin.  "I didn't know you could do that."

Angel shrugged in shock.  "Me neither."

The two sisters turned to help Adrian and Wyatt.  They were fighting with the oldest Rowe, who proved to be more skilled and powerful than either of his brothers.  Devin Rowe battled with strength and experience beyond his years, and now he fought not only for revenge, but also for his life.  

Seeing now what the witches and their Whitelighter were capable of, he knew that the odds of him escaping alive was slim, but he was not ready to admit it, not even to himself. 

Angel was amazed at how expertly Wyatt was handling the sword.  He dealt blow after blow swiftly with the skill of a seasoned swordsman.  She could see that he and the legendary weapon were already becoming one.  Apart from the sweat that covered his forehead from concentration, he showed no signs of strain or fatigue.  

Excalibur flashed brilliantly with every stroke, but each time, it clashed with some kind of invisible barrier in front of it.  It was as if an unseen sword was there blocking every blow.  The eldest Rowe warlock moved his hands out in front of him as if he was directing the invisible sword, twisting them sharply whenever Wyatt swung his blade.  His breathing was labored, and his face contorted with nervous tension.  

Nearby, Adrian was firing energy balls at him one after another in an attempt to distract the warlock long enough for Wyatt to make his move.  

The warlock shimmered, and Wyatt's sword cut through air.   He turned around, lowering the sword slightly.  

For a moment, Angel thought the warlock had retreated, but then she saw him lurking in the shadows of a large dead tree.  He had an energy ball ready in his hand aimed at Wyatt.  

She took aim and, holding her hands up, jerked them sharply.  Instead of freezing him as she had been intending to do, she blew his entire left arm off instead.  The warlock shrieked, and turned on her.  He raised his remaining arm up and brought it down in a sweeping motion.

Angel felt something hard and icy cold cut through her stomach.  She took in a sharp intake of air as she was jerked half around by the impact and looked down.  There was a wide laceration in her midsection.  She expected to see some sort of knife or other blade buried there, but nothing was there as far as she could see but torn flesh and bright red blood streaming out.  The clothes around the wound was stained scarlet, and as she watched, the stain spread.  The pain, numbed by the initial shock, came in full.  White-hot flames licked her body, so intense that Angel was sure that she was on fire.  Breathing became a struggle as flames ripped at her midriff with every gasp.  

She staggered back and collapsed upon the dry grass.  Slowly, she lifted her gaze and watched the fight through clouding eyes.  Her mind couldn't process what she was seeing.  The shouting and sounds of combat sounded dim and far away to her ears.  Now even the pain became a dull throb.  

Wyatt saw Angel fall, her midsection bloody and torn as though she had been stabbed with some invisible sword.  With a cry of rage, the Whitelighter cast out his arm.  The sword Excalibur flew through the frigid air with deadly accuracy, as though guided by some unseen hand and impaled the warlock through the chest.  A look of surprise was etched on his face as he was engulfed in dancing flames.  It all happened faster than any eye could follow.  

By the time the warlock disappeared into a wisp of dust that was soon scattered by a light zephyr, Wyatt, Adrian, and Kendall were already at the youngest Halliwell's side.  Angel watched them through half-open eyes as Adrian turned away, swearing under his breath.  

Wyatt laid a hand on her arm and grabbed Kendall with his other hand.  "We'll take her back home first," he said to Adrian.  With that, they disappeared in a cloud of light.  Adrian cast a final look around the forlorn graveyard and followed.  

The four of them reappeared in the living room of the Halliwell manor.  Wyatt put down Excalibur, laid his hands over Angel's midsection and started healing.

Piper came down the stairs carrying a box of Domino's pizza.  "You're back!  We ordered pizza for lunch, and then we could rent a movie or something, you know, just kinda hang back and–"  She stopped in her tracks as soon as she caught sight of Angel lying on the floor with a bloody stomach.  She dropped the pizza box.  "Paige!  Leo!"

Paige and Leo appeared out of a swirl of blue-white lights. 

"Hey you're back –" Paige began.  Both she and Leo froze at the sight of Angel with four other people hovering over her and they ran over.  "Oh my God."

"Damn.  What happened?" asked Leo as he put a hand on his son's shoulder.  

By now, the wound was almost completely closed and Wyatt looked up without moving his hands.  "I have no clue."  He removed his hands.  

Angel sat up slowly and felt her stomach gingerly.  It was fully healed and now only her bloodied clothes gave any indication of the incident.  Her face was pale, and she was shivering, but otherwise the young witch was unhurt.  "Thanks Wyatt, she said shakily.  

Wyatt nodded in response and helped her up.  "Glad to see you alive."

"We almost lost you there, kid," said Adrian, his light mood masking his relief.  

They all sat down on the couches and floor.  Angel settled herself on the carpet at the feet of one of the couches.  Piper picked up the pizza box and passed it around.  

"Well, we vanquished the last two Rowes," started Kendall as she picked a pizza slice from the box and passed it on to Leo on her left.  

"But it almost cost us Angelyn," Adrian cut across.  

"Does anyone know how the last warlock we vanquished attacked Angel?" asked Wyatt.  "I think he was using the same tactic when he was fighting me and Adrian."

Piper shifted position and fixed her son with an inquisitive gaze.  "And what was that?"

"I'm not sure.  It was like he was using some sort of invisible sword.  I could feel it there, it felt completely solid, but I couldn't see it."

Kendall sat with a pensive look on her face.  "I think I know. . ." she said softly.  

Everyone turned to her and waited for her to continue.  

Kendall looked up from her folded hands and went on.  "He might have had a power that allowed him to adjust the molecular density of air."  At the confused looks from Wyatt, Angel, and Adrian, she explained, "Some magical beings have the ability to control the elements, right?"

"Yeah. . ." said Angel slowly.  

"Well, then this Rowe warlock probably had a power like that.  By compressing air molecules into extremely tight areas, he could have created a sort of sword made from air.  He could make it into whatever shape or size he wanted to, and in this case, an invisible lethal blade."

Piper voiced her opinion.  "From what I've heard, that sounds like a reasonable explanation.  I remember fighting a demon like that, back when Prue. . . and. . . Phoebe were alive. . ."  Piper fought to control her emotions at the memory of her two sisters.  "We fought a demon named Athulak.  He was a wind demon, and he had the ability to alter his own molecular concentration, and at will, could turn himself into an invisible sword."

Angel winced and patted her stomach with the sick knowledge that she could have been sawed in half.  '_I was lucky to have just been run through._'

"Wow.  A slice-and-dice wind demon," Adrian commented before taking a bite from his pizza.  

Kendall turned to Angel.  "And another thing, when the Rowe fired his lightning bolt at you, how did you reflect it back at him?"

Angel shrugged.  "I don't know.  I meant to just freeze it, but somehow, the attack was  rebounded back at him."

Paige smiled brightly.  "Who knows?  It just might be your new power."

Angel sat up sharply.  "New power?"

"Well, when demons and warlocks are vanquished, usually their powers are sent with them to the Demonic Wasteland, but you know, sometimes they don't, and the people who vanquished them gains their powers."

"So you're saying. . ."

"Maybe all four of you have new powers from vanquishing the Rowes," Paige finished.

"And you would have to learn to control them too," added Leo.  

Wyatt set down his pizza and said quietly, "Then that means that one of us has the power to manipulate the molecular density of air."

They all fell silent at that.  New powers, as they all knew, took time to get used to and learn to use properly.  Having abilities such as turning air into invisible blades was especially dangerous in the time it took to learn to control it.  

Angel knew that very well.  It was around the time that she was three that she started coming into her powers, but learning to control it took quite a long time.  Whenever she was angry or surprised, she would accidentally freeze or set fire to something.  When she was twelve she gained the power of exploding, which was even worse because of the risk that she might explode anyone who surprised her by mistake.  But by the age of twelve she had learned some self control already. 

Now the prospect of having new powers to adapt to scared her, especially now at such a potent point in her mission.  What if she sliced Legolas or Aragorn or someone in half with an invisible sword of air by accident?  How would she explain that?  

"Well, there's really nothing we can do about it.  I guess we just have to get used to them as soon as we can," said Adrian, shrugging his shoulders.  

Angel sighed.  She had come to help vanquish three warlocks with the potential to become the most powerful force of evil the world had ever known.  Now she was stuck with powers that she barely knew anything about and needed to learn to control in order to fulfill her task of countering Belthazor.  She had really gotten more than she had bargained for.  


	10. Ch 10 Part I: New Powers, New Responsibi...

Thanks people for the wonderful reviews.  

First of all, Mellon123, who I did not mention in the last chapter:  So sorry Anales that I didn't include you in the commentary last chapter.  It's just that I didn't check for more reviews before I posted.  Anyways, happy to have you back.

Raven's Sister: Thank you very much for the comment.  I tried to make this story as close as possible to the real thing, and I'm glad to see that someone thinks it is.

Xoulblade: Sadly, I missed two weeks ago's episode of Charmed because my MYS concert happened to be at the same time as when it was on.  breaks down and starts sobbing  But I did see "I Dream of Phoebe"  It was soooo sweet!  But does that mean that Chris is Wyatt's brother?  And I saw last week's episode, well the first half anyway.  So, was Chris conceived at the end?  Or did he vanish out of existence?  And what happened to Piper and Leo on the Ghostly Plane?  

ElvenWitch13: I finally got around to reviewing your stories!  Can't wait to read more of them.  I intend to finish this story, and already, I'm thinking about a sequel.  Maybe I'm being too ambitious.  Oh well, let's just see how this one turns out before I start to seriously consider writing a second one.  

Imhyando: Lemme guess.  This must be Roos, isn't it?  The way you always end your reviews are a straight giveaway.  Not to mention our lil inside thing with you being my muse.  Well, I missed last week's episode of Charmed.  . . again. . . but this time I have a good excuse: I had a concert on Sunday night.  Theoden, a chauvinist pig?  starts getting ideas  If the Fellowship finds out that Angel's a witch by then, that sounds like a good idea.  I know, you are impatient for the part where her lil secret becomes revealed to the Fellowship.  Oh, and who won the cat-fight?  Me, of course, being the almighty author and by threatening Angel that I'll let Belthazor blow Legolas into smithereens.  Angel: seethes I could have blown you up, Gil.  I let you live only because of my dedication to protect innocents.  Me: _Right. . ._

Salem: New powers. . . just wait till you see what happens when they can't control them. Lol.  The lil behind-the-scenes thing at the beginning of the last chappie was just something I decided to throw in for fun.  Not that it was fun getting kicked repeatedly in the shin by my own character.  

Miriellar: Did you get my review?  I loved your story, though I skipped some parts.  You know what I mean.  But I know what happened.  A lil angsty though, no?  But it's not nearly as Mary-Sueish as most of the stories I've read, which is something rare and nice for a change.  Nice to know that I'm living up to my readers' expectations.  

Soccer-Bitch: Thanks for being a constant reader.  People like you make my updates quick and give me the stamina to proofread even when I don't feel like it.

Nikki: Sugarhigh, huh?  I can just picture you bouncing off the walls at school. . . and then all the teachers come out really pissed because you're disrupting their classes.  Lol.  I think you'll be glad that Angel's returning to Middle-earth soon.  

Songbreeze1125: Calm down, you'll find out what happens to Borri soon enough.  We're almost at that point in the story.  Attempting to kill my own character was something I needed to take my irritation out on Angel.  She deserved it for bitch-slapping me anyways.  But of course, for the sake of the story, I had to let her live.  Angel's full name is Angelyn, but she goes by Angel for short.  

Lady Light: Chapter nine was a pretty action-packed chapter.  But this one is a lot more emotional and depressing.  Thanks for reviewing every chapter, I love the support (and attention).  

OMG, I cannot believe we're on chapter 10 already!  This is like an anniversary for the story somehow.  birthday horn honks and streamers fly through the air  I never really expected to get this far, but you guys have been the best!!!  Luv ya all!

Special thanks to the following readers who have been so supportive through the chapters:

Roos

Salem

ElvenWitch13

Songbreeze1125

Nikki

Alandra

Lady Light

Lady Fae

Mellon123

Miriellar

Soccer-Bitch

Xoulblade

Cindy

Ch. 10: Part I 

New Powers, New Responsibilities

Leo put a hand on Wyatt's shoulder.  Both father and son were standing in the back lawn together.  Wyatt was looking up at the starry heavens above.  "Angel's leaving first thing tomorrow morning."

"We'll miss her," said Leo.

"She's needed there," said Wyatt resolutely.  "Besides, fate has more in store for her."

'_Love._'  Leo knew the meaning of the unspoken statement.  He was aware of the possibility of Angel finding a soul mate and the Elders' thoughts on the matter.  But the mission was unpredictable, anything could happen along the way.  Knowing that they were entering dangerous waters, he changed the subject.  "You did well with vanquishing the Rowes."

Wyatt smiled inwardly at his father's praise.  "Well enough to come home alive."

Leo beamed with pride at the son he had fathered, who had grown up to become a powerful force for good, and risked his own life everyday protecting the innocent.  "How did you grow up so fast?"

Wyatt smiled, it wasn't a literal question, but he knew the answer.  When his aunt Phoebe died, the Power of Three was shattered for good.  The only choice was for her children to take on the position of the Charmed Ones in order to finish their work.  And he had assumed the position of being their Whitelighter.  So they didn't have the time to grow up the way they should have.  "Let's go back in."

The Whitelighter nodded vaguely and followed Wyatt through the back door.  Wyatt kicked off his sneakers on the doormat and walked through the kitchen into the living room.  Angel was sitting on one of the couches with headphones clamped over her ears that were blaring hard rock full blast.  Wyatt and Leo could hear Simple Plan booming through the headphones.  It was mostly muffled to them, but they were sure that it must be deafening in Angel's ears.  The TV in front of her was tuned in on WB 20.  By the vacant look in her eyes, Wyatt could tell that she was not really paying attention to the TV or the CD player blasting in her ears.  

Angel stared at the screen blankly where Lana Lang and Clark Kent were having a cozy little conversation in The Talon.  The rock music blaring from the headphones were becoming a monotonous drone in her mind.  

'_I'm just a kid, my life is a nightmare–_' Was letting Boromir die really something that needed to happen? '_–I'm just a kid, I know this is not fair –_'  Suppose she did save him. . . could she possibly convert him back from the dark side?  '_Nobody cares 'cuz I'm alone in the world–_'  What if Kendall was wrong?  What if saving Boromir would result in something good?  '_–and nobody wants to be alone in the world–_'

"Hey. . .um. . .Angel?" asked Leo uncertainly.  There was no response.  He started to walk up to her from behind and tapped her shoulder lightly.  "Angelyn. . ."

Her train of thoughts broke as she felt the touch.  She wheeled around with a surprised gasp and almost at once, the window to her left shattered.  Angel winced at the sound of breaking glass and when the shards clattered to the floor.  "Oh dammit," she muttered and took off the headphones so that they hung from around her neck.  "Sorry," she said meekly to Leo and Wyatt behind her.  "I didn't see you coming in."

They were both in frozen positions, Leo with his arms raised and Wyatt with a mildly surprised expression etched on his face.  Angel raised her hands to unfreeze them, but thought better of it and waited for time to resume on its own.  She would probably explode them if she tried.  After several moments, time started again and the two fell a step back, blinking confusedly at the lapse in their memories.  Angel mumbled her apologies again.   

"It's alright," said Leo reassuringly.  "I'm sure Piper can find a spell to fix that."  

Wyatt looked up at the clock.  It was a quarter after eight.  "Shouldn't you be getting your things together now?"

"Oh. . . yeah."  Angel set down the remote control on the coffee table and headed up the stairs toward her room.  The incident only a few minutes ago made her even more nervous than before to return to Middle-Earth.  She could have blown up her cousin and uncle!  So far, her failure to control her new powers had not resulted in anything serious.  And not only did she have little power over her new abilities, but it seemed that they were interfering with her control over her old ones as well.  Angel had become a walking red zone.  Anyone who came too close was in danger of being exploded, set on fire, or frozen.   

But at least the power to compress the molecular density of air wasn't hers.  They all soon figured out that that was one of Kendall's new powers when she sliced a fly in two as she was shooing it away from the dinner table.  Adrian had gained the power of telepathy.  As for Wyatt, his new powers hadn't made a show yet.  Or maybe he had already learned to control them and didn't know.  It was possibly considering that he was the most powerful magical being in existence.  

Angel closed the door behind her as she entered her bedroom.  She slipped on the headphones again and lay down on the bed on top of the hoodie that she had worn through the travels in Middle-Earth.  Angel sat up and held the sweatshirt up to her nose.  It smelled clean; it must have been through the laundry already.  Feeling something solid in the front pocket, she reached in and pulled out the switchblade.  '_I forgot about this_,' she thought as she flicked out the six-inch long blade and fingered the cold steel gingerly.  

It struck her as odd that the blade that could kill could also save lives.  On its own it wasn't evil, though it could just as easily be used for right or wrong.  It was the same with magic; as easily converted to good as it was to evil.  It all depended on the wielder of the weapon.  

Her train of thoughts were broken when she felt a sharp pain on her finger.  Looking down, she saw fresh blood oozing from her finger.  Angel stuck her finger into her mouth and sucked on it, but nearly choked on the coppery taste.  She retracted the blade and slipped it back into the hoodie pocket.  

'_Okay, time to pack_,' she thought and looked around the room.  Angel picked up a 

black shoulder bag with an adjustable strap.  Kendall came in and closed the door behind her.  "Thought I might help you pack." 

Angel nodded and started to stuff several CDs into the bag.  Kendall strode over and pulled them back out.  "Nonononono!"

Angel stared at her, hands on hips.  "What?"

"You are only packing what you need.  The basic necessities of surviving with nine guys in the wilderness."  Kendall held up the CDs.  "Simple Plan, Antiflag, and Yellowcard are not basic necessities."  She set them down on the CD rack.  

"_Kendall. . ._" Angel whined, putting on her sappiest puppy face.  "What am I gonna do the whole time there?"

Kendall was unaffected by her sister's pleading.  "Fight demons, protect the Fellowship from Belthazor.  It's not like you'll have much spare time there anyway."  She giggled.  "And when you do have free time, I'm sure you'd much rather use it to get to know that hot elf better."

The younger sister grinned in spite of herself.  "Oh shut up.  Just because I have the hots for him doesn't mean he does for me.  The feeling has to be mutual for the chemistry to go to work." She held up an electric hair curler.  "This at least is essential to survival," she stated before shoving it in the shoulder bag.

Kendall smiled with mild amusement.  "Do you really think there are electrical outlets in Middle-Earth?"

Angel groaned and dumped the curler out onto the bed.  "If Belthazor doesn't kill me, lack of modern equipment will."  She trudged out of the room towards the bathroom with Kendall behind her.  

Kendall opened the mirror cabinet.  Inside was an assortment of Bath & Body Works products.  She reached up and pulled out several bottles of scented lotion, shampoo, and a container of deodorant.  "That is what I mean by necessity."  She pulled out the drawers and added a brush to the bag.  

Then they returned back to the bedroom.  

"I should pack some clothes," said Angel as she opened the wardrobe.  "I'm sure Aunt Piper won't mind if I borrow some."  She riffled through the outfits for a few minutes, then pulled out a tank top and shorts.  "How about this one?"

"Are you kidding?  It's the middle of winter, you'll freeze!"  Kendall chose a navy blue jacket, a purple T-Shirt, and jeans.  It was both cute and looked warm enough too.  Angel folded them and placed them neatly on top of the lotion bottles.  Then she chose out another set of clothes to wear tomorrow and set it on the bedside table.  

I owe everyone an apology.  I'm sorry it took so long for me to get this up.  And this isn't even a complete chapter yet.  This is half of chapter 10, and the second half will be up soon (I hope).  I'm posting because this chapter is taking me a really long time, and I was sure that if I waited until I finished the whole thing people would be pissed for having to wait.  


	11. Ch 10 Part II: New Powers, New Responsib...

Ch. 10: Part II

New Powers, New Responsibilities

Kendall put her hands on her hips.  "Okay, what else do you need?"

Angel could probably list off a couple dozen things off the top of  her head.  Bubble gum, mint, a boom box, a hair dryer, TV, the world wide web. . . so many things she had gotten used to and even taken for granted, and now she would have to live for weeks, maybe even longer, without them.  "I am so gonna be a fish out of water in Middle-Earth."

"Cheer up," said Kendall.  "At least that cute elf guy is in Middle-Earth."  As soon as she said this, she fell silent.  The atmosphere suddenly turned grave.  Angel sensed that something was wrong after a few tense moments and said, very gently.  "Are you sure that we can't do anything about Boromir?"

The only sign of how much mental pain Kendall was in was the additional glassy shininess to her eyes indicating that she was on the verge of tears.  She nodded wordlessly.  "I even talked to Aunt Piper and Paige about it.  As much as they want to save him, they agreed that it's for the best to let it all play out." 

Angel lowered her head, lost in her thoughts.  What if Kendall was wrong?  What if Boromir could be saved – and maybe even converted back to his good side?  Then she pushed the thoughts aside.  What if's were useless – futile daydreaming that things would work out perfectly.  She knew well enough by now that more often than not, such things did not happen, at least in the real world.  She pulled herself out of her musing, when the older Halliwell smiled softly and got up.  "Thanks.  Angel, don't let your feelings get in the way of this.  Even if he does die, his soul will be move on.  You have to let that happen."

Angel nodded dumbly as Kendall retreated from the room, and opened the door.  Comet loitered into the room in a lethargic gait.  Kendall left and closed the door.  Comet gave Angel no sign of notice, walked to the foot of the bed and leapt up.  The beautiful golden retriever lay motionless on the neatly made covers, head resting on her paws and tail flicking lazily.  She watched Angel through half-open brown eyes.  Angel walked over and laid her hand on the dog to pet her.  To her surprise, Comet raised her head instantly.  A deep rumbling sound issued from her throat as her fur bristled.  She was growling.  Angel raised an eyebrow and tried to soothe her by wrapping her arms around her.  "Hey girl.  What's wrong?"

She was completely startled by what happened next.  Comet leapt up and bared her teeth at her, growling louder than before.  Angel stood back a few steps and said in the calming voice she reserved for pacifying animals, both her own and the ones at the Humane Center she worked part time.  "Comet, girl, come to Angel.  Come here puppy."

It didn't work.  Comet was tensing; every muscle in her body was recoiling.  Angel backed away nervously.  She knew that when animals did that, they were preparing to attack.  "What's wrong with you Comet?  Why are you angry?"  Why was her dog acting so strangely?  Comet was the only animal who ever showed any affection for Angel.  The ones at the Humane Center seemed to hold something against her for no reason whatsoever.  But this was Comet. . . this was her Comet. . . the dog she had raised from puppyhood. . . who she had practically spoiled and pampered in every way possible. . . "Kendall!  Adrian!  Wyatt!" she called when she saw that Comet was seconds away from pouncing.

Almost instantaneously, a swirl of blue and white light appeared next to her, and Adrian emerged when they faded, closely followed by Wyatt.  

Adrian saw Angel's nervous expression and asked, "Hey, what's up?"

Wordlessly, she pointed past him at the Golden Retriever, now baying ferociously on the bed.  

Adrian and Wyatt turned.  "Hey, what's up with Comet?"

With a vicious snarl, the dog sprang at them, claws outspread.

Adrian grabbed Angel's wrist in one hand and Wyatt's in his other.  Their visions were obscured by balls of blue and white light, and they reappeared at the bottom of the stairs.  Kendall was at the top, heading toward Angel's room, where Comet was could still be heard barking aggressively.  

Angel called Kendall before she opened the door and let out the furious dog.  Kendall turned around and came down the stairs again.  "Hey, can you shut your dog up, Angel?" she asked when she reached bottom.

Angel told her about Comet's strange behavior.  

Kendall shrugged.  "Sounds like she's having canine mood swings."  

Though shaken, Angel put the incident in the back of her mind.  She was sure that mood swings weren't reserved just to people.  The animals at the Humane Center were like that sometimes.  Wyatt orbed back upstairs and orbed the dog into a locked pen near the parlor for the night.  Angel smiled nervously at her pet who was watching her every move with narrowed eyes.  She shuddered.  This was not normal dog behavior.  

"Eller naa n'uma tehta tel'arwen," [There is no sign of the lady.] reported a March Warden, one of the search crew sent out to find Angel.  He was an elf around three thousand years old, with a narrow face and marked distinctly by his Elven features, including the high cheekbones and pointed ears.  "Lye nae mae' imya taure, ar' eller naa n'uma tehta en' manke re nae wanwa." [We have scouted the entire forest, and there is nothing that could indicate where she could have gone.] 

Aragorn and Legolas exchanged worried glances.  

"There are no trails, tracks. . . nothing?" asked Aragorn incredulously.  "She can't have just disappeared."

"Well. . ." started the March Warden hesitantly.  "There was a trail, quite evident and clear, but. . ."

"But what?" demanded Legolas sharply.  

The March Warden led them into the forest.  "It would be easier to show you."

Aragorn and Legolas followed him into the vegetation.  After a few moments of traveling in tense silence, the March Warden stopped and pointed to the ground.  The blades of grass were slightly trampled, a clear sign that someone had passed the area.  Nearby, delicate fern fronds were bruised or broken, another hint.  Aragorn and Legolas pieced together the scene with the skill of experienced trackers.  

"It seems that she was not alone," said Aragorn as he knelt down to inspect a broken twig and part of a footprint not far away.  

"That would be the other maiden who claimed to be her sister," said Legolas.  

"Yes," agreed the March Warden.  "We have identified two sets of tracks, both going in the same direction, and it seems that they were in no hurry."

Legolas observed the distance between apparent steps, and judging that they weren't not too far apart, he knew that the March Warden was right.  Angel and Kendall were probably walking.  That probably meant that whatever Kendall wanted to talk to Angel about wasn't too urgent.  

They continued following the trail until they reached the glade where Kendall had met Boromir and saw the premonition.  Another set of footprints, heavier and slightly bigger was evident around one of the stone benches.

Aragorn pointed to them.  "Boromir told me he was here, and that he met the lady Angel's sister before she left in haste."

"Left in haste?" asked Legolas questioningly.  As they traced the trail further, past the glade, they could see that they were indeed traveling at a speedier pace.  The prints were further apart, and of lighter impression in the grass and dirt, indicating that the stride was longer, and therefore likely faster too.  

Then the tracks came to a sudden stop.  

Legolas looked around for more clues, but the trail led nowhere.  He backed up a few steps to make sure he hadn't missed a turn or anything, but that was it – there was nothing else.  Legolas straightened up and surveyed the area.  His sharp elven eyes detected nothing that implied where the two women could have gone next.  

(A/N: If anyone is confused as to why the tracks come to a stop, just remember that Kendall and Angel went through the time portal at this point.  I realize that that was quite a few chapters ago, and not everyone might have remembered.)

Aragorn was equally puzzled.  "What a riddle the lady and her sister have left us."

"A riddle that has left us scratching our heads like befuddled toads," replied the March Warden grimly.  "We have scoured every inch of the Golden Woods, with nothing to lead us on from here."  His eyes grew dark with graveness.  "The lady Angel is missing."

Aragorn and Legolas did not answer for a moment.  Surely there must be something to explain this.  Aragorn looked back down at the tracks as if they would suddenly reveal to him an answer.  They brought to light no plausible solution.  Finally, he sighed and said to the March Warden, "Auta esta.  Ta naa telwa." [Go get some rest.  It is late.]

The March Warden, who had been trying to disguise his tired yawns, complied gratefully.  Aragorn reasoned that there was nothing more he could do for the moment and followed him back the way they came.  

Legolas stayed behind for a few moments to examine the tracks one last time.  There was something about Angel from the moment he met her, some part of him knew she was strange in a way.  Even from the very start of the mission, she had been full of secrets, and he sometimes felt the curiosity gnawing at him like a thorn in his side.  Why did Gandalf want her to be part of this Fellowship?  Why did she seem so devastated at his fall?  

As he thought of her, a cool wintry breeze embraced him.  Perhaps it was only his imagination, but he felt a warm tingling throughout his body.  And somehow, he could feel Angel's presence.  He felt certain that she was somewhere close by, maybe even right beside him.  Legolas closed his eyes and raised his hands slowly to his left, where he could have sworn he felt her body heat coming from.  He half-believed that she really was there, and that he could reach out and hold her.  

Angel stopped dead in her tracks.  Her heart started beating frantically.  She whipped around, only to see that no one was in the living room.  Kendall, Adrian, Wyatt, and her aunts were all upstairs, probably asleep.  But she wasn't alone in the room.  She couldn't see anyone else, but she was absolutely sure that she was in someone else's presence.  As she tried to calm her racing pulse, Angel concentrated.  It felt like someone familiar, someone who had held her close once, consoled her. . . 

"Legolas?" she asked out quietly before she knew what she was doing.  She waited as if expecting a reply, but the only sound was her heart pounding in her ears.  After a few seconds, she sighed and started up the stairs, wondering if her sanity was starting to snap.  

As she left the room, she thought she heard a soft whisper, barely audible, more like a shudder of the wind.  

"_Angel, where are you?_"

The young witch turned for a second.  Comet started baying suddenly, and her low baritone shook Angel back to reality.  She bolted up the stairs and vaulted onto her bed, where she dove under the covers to seek comfort.  '_I am really starting to lose it_.' 

The clock tolled twelve, and other than its deep resounding voice, the Halliwell manor lay tranquilly quiet, wrapped in the tight embrace of slumber.  A pale moon shone dimly through an inky night sky, foreboding and ominous, overshadowed by wisps of cloud.  

Comet paced up and down her pen restlessly, the only source of motion in the entire manor.  She stopped every now and again to raise her head to the heavens, as if waiting.  

Then her waiting came to an end as a cloaked figure materialized before her.  He was robed in black, so dark a black that if he stood still, he would have melted into the shadows.  Slowly, he drew back the hood and revealed himself.  

A base level demon, Hyron dedicated himself to learning the arts of deception, of stealth, illusions of the mind, and cloaking himself under the protection of guises.  But of late, he was becoming dissatisfied with his abilities.  Hyron had always dreamed of becoming a high ranking demon in the Underworld, perhaps even the Source, but it was only that – a dream.  But he had always kept an ear out for information that could boost him up to the demonic elite.  

And only a few weeks earlier, the Underworld grapevine carried to him the news that the Power of Three of the famed Charmed Ones was finally broken, that they were now vulnerable to every evil in the world, that demons and warlocks from around the globe were taking advantage of the situation to attempt to vanquish and gain their powers.  Hyron was one of them, seeking to establish a reputation for himself by obtaining powers that would make him unstoppable and killing off the most powerful witches of all time single-handedly.

Well, maybe not single-handedly.  He looked down at the golden dog at his heels, looking up at him expectantly.  That was where Comet came in.  She too, had become discontent with her place in the world, hungering for a more potent role.  When he had first come to her, she was reluctant to aid him.  She had all her life served as the Charmed Ones' familiar – an enchanted animal companion that guides and protects young witches as they learn their craft.  

But he knew how to persuade her.  Greed for power was a complex emotion.  He was experienced enough to recognize and to use it.  It was part of everyone, and the familiar was no exception.  She had spent her entire life as a dog, a mutt expected to obey her human masters without protest.  Comet had been inching toward the dark side for years now, the only leash tying her back was her obligation as the familiar of the Charmed Ones.  So it was not too difficult to persuade her.  An offer to share his power with her, to make her renowned, feared, and respected by good and evil alike – it was too much to resist.  As the lifelong pet of the Charmed Ones, she knew more about them than almost anyone else, all of their strengths, weaknesses, dreams, and desires.  She knew the morals and principles they lived by, and most important of all, where they were most vulnerable.  

Comet scuffed at the floor impatiently.  Hyron allowed himself a crooked smile and bent down to touch her back.  He shimmered out of the Halliwell manor.  In a flash, they were gone, leaving the old Victorian house in peace once more.  

In her sleep, Angelyn Halliwell turned over fitfully.  Strange shapes and voices began to fill her head, swirling around in her hazy mind before slowly taking shape.  She was in a large cave, furnished with a crude table supporting dozens of bottles of strange substances.  To her left was a pile of firewood and before her a pile of animal furs.  Though she did not see it, Angel perceived a small fire flickering behind her, bathing the lair in soft light and warmth.  A tall figure robed in black appeared suddenly beside the fur pile.  He shuffled away, and she saw a large golden furred dog behind him, ears flat against its head in an unmistakably gesture of warning.  Angel could not help but wonder where she had seen that dog before.  

The cloaked man was at the table, carefully inspecting the wide array of potions.  He laughed at the dog's display of temper.  "Patience, my friend.  You would not want me to choose the wrong potion."  Finally he selected a small vial of transparent crystal containing a vivid green liquid.

The young witch watched on as he knelt down beside the dog and tipped the bottle's contents gently down its throat.  When the glass was empty, he stood up with his back to Angel, blocking her view.  But she knew that something was happening that she could not see.  She stepped to her right a few steps in an attempt to get a better view, and she cut back a gasp at what she saw.  

The dog was gone, and in its place a young woman no older than 25 with unmistakable resemblances to the canine.  Her hair was golden yellow, the same shade and texture as the dog's and she had big innocent brown eyes that belied the evil lurking beneath her false beauty.  She gave a twisted smile and turned her hands over this way and that, examining them as though she couldn't really believe that they were really there.  

The cloaked man removed his hood and stepped to the side a few paces.  Angel could see now that he wasn't human.  His eyes were burning a feverish yellow, and long canine teeth protruded downward from the sides of his mouth.   He spoke in a thin reedy voice that sent shivers down her spine.

"Now that you've had a taste of the extent of my abilities, perhaps you will aid me in my quest?"

The woman finally tore her eyes away from her hands and fixed her gaze on him.  "I would like nothing better, Hyron."  She spoke slowly and stumbled over the words a bit, as though they were unfamiliar.  

Hyron drew closer to her and whispered in her ear, "The potion does not last forever, you know that.  By this time tomorrow night you will be animal once more."

She laid her hands on his shoulders.  "I have betrayed my charges," she said with a sly grin.  "There is no turning back now.  And once I shed all my animal lives before the next full moon, human will be my permanent form.  I will become unvanquishable."

"Nothing shall stand in our way.  We can become King and Queen of the Underworld, side by side."

Her eyes glimmered with a hungry look, that Hyron recognized as greed.  "And all will bow to our will," she whispered with pleasure.

"It can all be ours, if we succeed, Comet," encouraged Hyron.  

But instantly, her eyes turned stone cold, and all traces of a smile vanished.  Her face contorted with rage as she drew away from him quickly.  "Do not call me that name!" she hissed venomously.  "No longer am I a mere pet!  For more than 20 years I have played the mutt, suffered the indignity of being kept as a family animal, scolded by those who lay claim to me!  I am no animal anymore!"

Hyron sought to soothe her rising ire.  "Then you should have a new name, one that reflects the glory you will have.  It should be one that your enemies whisper in fear, and that commands the same respect as your presence."

The demon's sleek words caused her anger to subside.  "Yes. . ." she mused, almost to herself.  "But what name would suit me?"

"Hecate," he answered.  "She was once Queen of the Underworld, a powerful force of evil.  It would go well with you, seeing that Queen of the Underworld is what you will soon be."

"Hecate. . ."she tried the name out, then nodded her head in acceptation.  "It is to my liking."

Angel's sight grew blurred.  The cave and everything in it went out of focus, and she had the strange feeling that she was being swept away.  The vision ended, and she was once again sleeping soundly.  The events that took place eluded her mind's eye, and disappeared into the shadows of dreams.  

When morning came, Angel had no remembrance of the dream.  She woke up to the sound of something calling her name.  As soon as she was awake enough for her brain to register what she was hearing, she recognized the voice as Kendall's and promptly pulled the covers over her head.  She felt someone jump onto the bed.

"Oh come on, Angelyn," said Kendall.  

Angel's voice was muffled from beneath the covers.  "I'm not awake.  Go 'way."  Then the covers were yanked out of her grasp, and she found herself staring up at Kendall's grinning face.   Angel moaned and buried her face into her pillow, trying to hide from the uncomfortable brightness of the sunlight filtering through the window.  There was always sun in California, even in winter.  "Go bother someone else.  Wake up Aunt Paige or Aunt Piper or someone. . . just leave me alone!"

"Aunt Piper needs her sleep, and Aunt Paige went home last night."  Kendall sat, helpless for a while, then came up with an idea.  She raised Angel telekinetically off the bed.  Angel yawned and sat up, hovering two feet above her bed.  "Okay, okay, I'm up.  You can put me down now," she said grumpily.  Kendall was about to lower her, but then thought better of it and allowed her to fall the two feet.  Angel climbed off her bed, now thoroughly awake.  She brushed her hair out of her eyes and sat silent for a few moments.  She felt different. . . almost empty.  Like something was missing.  'Weird,' she thought hazily and turned her attention away from it absently.

"So how'd you sleep?" asked Kendall.

Angel started making her bed.  "Good.  I think I had a dream, not sure though.  You?"

"Same," answered the older Halliwell.  "I think I had a dream too, but I don't remember what it was about."

Angel opened her mouth to relate her dream, then suddenly realized that she had nothing to say.  She had forgotten it too.  So she kept her silence and finished tucking in the covers.  

They went out the bedroom door, and met Wyatt and Adrian on the stairs.  

"Hey guys," said Kendall.

The two only nodded sleepily in response.  Angel suspected that they, too, had been woken up by Kendall.  Wyatt was practically leaning on the railing for support.  Adrian wasn't much better, but he at least said, "I had a weird dream."

"What about?"

Adrian ran a hand through his dark hair and shrugged.  "I don't remember."

"Same here," said Wyatt, suppressing a yawn.

They reached the kitchen, and Kendall, seeing that the others were probably so dozy that they'd set the kitchen on fire, set about to make breakfast.  Adrian and Wyatt slumped into chairs at the dining table.  Angel watched Kendall prepare the food for a few moments, then decided to check on Comet.  

A minute or two later, her panicked cry reached them. 

"She's not here!"


	12. Ch 11: Belthazor Returns

A Eruchin, ú-dano i faelas a hyn, an uben tanatha le faelas  
(Show them no mercy for you shall receive none.) 

           -Aragorn Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers   

These are the names I have picked for new OC's.  

Jazz and Mr. McKenzie – submitted by Salem.

Marcus, Amber, and Lori – submitted by Cindy

Dakota and Crecy – submitted by Crecy

Laurel – submitted by Songbreeze1125

Alandra and Damon – submitted by Alandra

Also, William created by me for my crush. (Uh. . .anyone out there who actually /knows/ him, plz don't tell him or anyone else about that.  I'd never hear the end of it.)

Thanks to the Reviewers:

Mika1620: thank you v. v. much for the review.  This update was unbelievably slow, but I hope you like it. 

Alandra: gasp  There was a WHOLE day of Charmed?  WHAT?!?!  And are you telling me that I MISSED it?!?!  gags, falls over, and starts hyperventilating  So, what was it like?  grabs Alandra by the collar and starts shaking her  Tell me!! You must tell me!!! okay, calm now for the sake of carrying on my commentary  You read the WHOLE story over again?  Wow.  Not even I have done that.  pats Alandra on the back  They're still playing reruns on Charmed!  Aaaaargh!  So, what's this website on Celtic names?  I doubt I'll use any in this story, but you never know, it could be handy in the future.    

Roos: Arwen means 'lady', or at least just –wen does.  But –wen is a suffix.  I suppose that the literal translation for "Arwen" could be 'noble lady', however, this one website I found said that the translation for arwen was just 'lady.'  So I bought that.  And no, I cannot see you, though you can see me.  pouts   You're offering to be silent, eh?  Well, you see, muses are supposed to be neither seen nor heard.  But I have a unique muse. Lol.  Thanks for the many ideas.  I'll consider them when I get to that point in the story.  Well. . .Angel might be an Empath or she might not be.  I like the idea of her going with Eomer and his bunch, but having her raped doesn't sound too appealing.  Well, anywayz, you're awesome, Roos, reviewing EVERY chapter.  everyone applauds Roos

Nikki: Boromir's fate is already decided, all that's left is for me to write it out.  And no – I won't tell you what it is either. . . you'll just have to wait it out.  Wow, I'm surprised.  I sorta expected your review to be in all caps, seeing who anxious you were for Angel to go back to ME.  And also, you were the 100th reviewer!!!  grins stupidly

ElvenWitch13: Sorry it took so long for me to update, but things have been getting really hectic lately.  I'm so caught up in schoolwork and outside of school activities that I was even amazed at myself for writing a 12 page long chapter.  Cliffies are so fun snickers Fun for the author, if not the readers.  And thanks for your support and constant reviews.

Salem: Thank you for your contributions, I agree, Jazz is a sweet name.  I'm using it along with one other (see above).  Thanks v. v. much.  Seraphina was pretty too, but I didn't because I think it would be a lil bit too fancy for my purposes.  

Cindy: Wait – you have a son?  Wow, I thought that it was all kids who were reading my story.  But that's cool.  And thanks for the names, especially Lori.  I love it!

Mia: Thanks for reviewing.  I'm glad you decided to keep on reading this.  

Crecy: Ms. McMath.  That's so cool. . . and weird.  Dakota will be used also, and in my opinion, it sounds like a hot name for a hott hott hott guy. giggles  What?  Doesn't it sound like a hott name to you?  Your name will be in here too, only, would it be pronounced cre-SEE or what?  

Songbreeze1125: Well, it would have taken about another week or so to get to that part, and I felt like I was running behind in deadlines, so it was either that or nothing.  Yes, Comet is a filthy cowardly backstabber.  Lol.  I bet you didn't see that coming.  

Lady Light: I was a bit surprised at myself for making Comet a traitor.  I had vague ideas about her being their familiar and then betraying them, but I didn't really think I would actually write about it.  Yup. . . a bitch.  Lol.  I never thought of it that way until you mentioned it.  

Soccer-Bitch: Thank you for the supportive reviews as always.  Hope that this update was quick.  

Chapter 11

Belthazor Returns

Something was seriously wrong.  Adrian tried to laugh at himself for thinking so, but it came out a humorless croak.  '_It's only a dump mutt_,' he told himself repeatedly.  '_Nothing but a missing dog that probably isn't even missing_.'  Adrian wondered whether his long years of fighting evil were turning him paranoid.  Every little thing he took as a potential threat that usually ended up getting him and his sisters nearly killed.  Now, it was to the point where he couldn't even have a family pet go missing without him jumping to conclusions.  

But his instincts told him otherwise.  Adrian did not trust his instincts readily, not like Kendall, who seemed to possess some sort of sixth sense that had saved their lives several times in the past.

After almost a half hour of looking, Kendall called off the search.  

"We have more important issues to worry about," she said, and Adrian realized the sense in her reasoning.  He also heard the unspoken statement.  They needed to get Angelyn back to Middle-Earth – she had already stayed too long.  

Despite Angel's protests, Kendall ushered her quickly back into the dining room and literally shoved her into a chair.  The older sister lifted the frying pan off the stove.  The scrambled eggs were well done, and slightly burnt black around the fringes.  Adrian and Wyatt sat down as well.  

"But Kendall," objected Angel.  "Who knows where she is?  She could be out freezing in the streets for all we know!"

Kendall was surprised at how easily Angel had forgotten Comet's attitude toward her so fast.  She stuffed a large chunk of egg into her mouth, stifling further protests.  "Chill and eat," she said.  "We'll take care of it once you're safely back in Middle-Earth."

'_Safely_,' thought Angel sourly as she was forced to suffer the indignity of having pieces of the egg hanging out of her mouth.  If having Belthazor after her 24/7 was considered safe, she didn't want to think about what dangerous was.  She swigged a long gulp of orange juice and quickly consumed her breakfast.  

A small pile of dirty dishes were piled in the sink soon after, forgotten and unimportant at the moment.  Piper came downstairs, smiling, and sat down at the table.  She was already changed out of her night gown and looked bright and alert.  "Good morning," she greeted, more out of habit than anything.  Then she sensed the stressed atmosphere.  "What's wrong?"

Angel swallowed the egg and blurted out, "Comet's missing."

Piper seemed thrown off for a few moments, but quickly regained her composure.  "I'm sure she'll turn up sooner or later.  We can scry for her after all."

Her younger niece was a bit annoyed at Piper's lack of concern, but she bowed her head and bounded upstairs to gather her things.  Meanwhile, Kendall sighed and prepared to open the time portal again.  

By the time she came back downstairs with the shoulder bag, Kendall was in the middle of the incantation, and Leo was there too, who had probably just orbed down from Up There.  There was a bright swirl of blue-white lights and Paige and Allan appeared, closely followed by their teenaged daughter, Amber.  Amber was tall for her age, with a light build and honey blonde hair like her father.  She flashed a dimpled smile at Angel.  "Hi Angel."

Angel laughed, and for a moment all her fears and worries about returning to Middle-earth were forgotten.  She ran over to give her cousin a hug.  It had been a long time since she had seen Amber last.  The sixteen year old was her favorite cousin, and a close friend before Angel left for New York.  

Amber returned the embrace, and whispered in her ear, "Good luck, Angel."

"Thanks," the other girl replied gratefully.  

The doorbell sounded, and Leo ran to get it.  Kendall finished the spell, and the door materialized before her.  She opened it, to reveal the Golden Woods– in the middle of a heavy downpour.  The grin was wiped off of Angel's face as she stared at the rain rolling off the silver barked trunks and golden leaves.  "Aw, shit."

Leo came back with Darryl and his wife Laurel, both of who were smiling broadly.  Laurel was almost a head shorter than her husband, and her close-cropped brown hair framed rosy cheeks.  Her complexion was a light olive brown, complemented by large hazel eyes.  

"We thought we might as well see you off," said Laurel good-naturedly.  She gaped in awe at the time gate.  "Whoa."

"This is how you're going back to the past?" asked Darryl.

"Convenient, isn't it?" said Piper dryly.  "Though that must have been some spell Kendall whipped up."

Her niece smiled at the compliment.  

Angel gave one last look at her family and friends, then stepped through the gateway of time.  Kendall smiled vaguely as she watched her sister diminish into a shadow among the trees.  A breeze and spray blew in through the doorframe, through a time gap of thousands of years.  

"Good luck, little sis," she whispered.  

Angel heaved a great sigh and trudged through the rainy forest, her small bag slung over one shoulder.  She peered between the silvery sheets of rain, straining her memory in an attempt to find some familiar landmark that might help her find her way back to the others.  She moaned mentally when her memory banks came up with. . . nothing.  Great.  Now she could spend a few hours trying to find her way, and chances were she'd be soaking wet by then.  

She scowled, though there was no one around to see it.  She stood for a moment, trying to make sense of her surroundings.  She reasoned that if the portal had opened in the same place as last time, then maybe if she could retrace her steps. . .  Angel started walking straight ahead.  

She adjusted her visor so that it could shield her eyes more from the stinging rain.  She hoped fervently that the water wasn't soaking through her shoulder bag.  

Angel lost track of time.  The woods seemed to look identical no matter where she was, the pelting rain and trees merging into one hazed blur before her.  How long had she been wandering?  An hour?  Two hours?

Angel shook her head.  She had no idea.  It seemed like ages, but in reality she knew it couldn't be.   She shivered from the chill seeping into her skin.  

She stopped for a moment to take into account her present situation.  She was lost – yes she had to admit that much – and she was soaking, her bag was likely drenched as well.  There really wasn't much to do but hope that she might somehow stumble upon an Elf or someone who could guide her back.  

The young witch hung her head in despair.  She listened to the sound of the rain splattering on the trees and forest floor, the smell of fresh earth pungent and strong.  Then a strange tingling crept up her spine, uncomfortable but not unfamiliar.  The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end.  She shuddered, and this time not from the cold.  As a witch, she had been taught to recognize those feelings.  Going against one's instincts wasn't not wise.  Even so, she was not the best person at trusting her sixth sense, as weak as it was.  No, that was Kendall's forte, not hers.  

Angel froze as goosebumps formed on her arms and neck.  Adrenaline coursed through her veins.  Then, out of nowhere, a streak of black appeared at her side.  Angel didn't even have time to react before she was felt a powerful iron grip on her shoulders, seizing her roughly by the shoulders.  Before she knew what had happened, she was flung backwards.  She smashed into a tree nearly 50 feet away and fell down into a crumpled heap.  

The witch raised her head slowly, painfully, trying to block the stinging flare running up and down her the length of her back.  She opened her eyes and saw the red and black streaked face of Belthazor staring down at her, only ten yards away with a half-smile that turned her blood cold twisting his demonic features.  

He conjured an energy ball to his fingertips and held it up before her.  Angel watched the white-hot ball sizzling like lightning sparks in horror and anticipation.  Her mind screamed at her to run, but her feet were frozen as though paralyzed.  She watched the energy ball, knowing that she was helpless, that she could do nothing but wait for the Angel of Death.  But then something jerked her out of her almost hypnotic state, and she flung her hands out to reflect the attack as Belthazor threw it at her.   The energy ball ricocheted off an invisible wall in front of her.  Belthazor dodged it with a quick sidestep and the attack hit a mallorn behind him.  The tree exploded on impact, shattering into millions of shards of bard, wood, and leaves.   

Belthazor did not turn to watch the tree shatter, but he was well aware of his situation now.  His plan to wait for the right moment to attack the youngest Charmed One had been abandoned when he found out about the vanquishing of the Rowe warlocks.  News traveled like wildfire among the demonic community, and Belthazor had ears everywhere. As soon as he found out that the Charmed Ones now possessed the powers of the Rowe brothers, he knew that his best chance to destroy them now was to attack before they learned to control their new abilities.  Once they did, there was little chance he would be able to take care of them on his own, and he was loath to seek the aid of another.  Not only that, but the Source was furious with him already, believing that Belthazor's hesitation had lost them the perfect opportunity to strike.  

He circled Angel like a wolf, but at the same time he was ready to shimmer if need be.  For the first time since he had been assigned to this task, he felt a ripple of uncertainty.  Angel was unpredictable and dangerous now.  He did not know the extent of her abilities, and he doubted that even she knew herself.  

Angel climbed to her feet, using the tree behind her for support.  Quickly, she searched the demon's face for clues as to what he was planning to do next, but his unperturbed façade showed nothing but a calm ruthlessness.  As soon as Belthazor started approaching her, she held up her hands, summoning all the magic she had and having not quite made up her mind yet whether she should throw a fireball or explode. . . and gasped at what happened next. 

Streaks of yellow-orange fire danced on the trunk of one of the trees behind Belthazor.  It twisted and curled its way up the trunk like a living snake of flame, then leapt to the mallorn at its left.  The blazing serpents jumped from tree to tree until a ring of mallorns were alight,  with Angel and Belthazor at the center of the inferno.  Then the circle of trees shattered, sending bits and pieces of burning twigs and wood flying in every direction.  Angel dropped to the ground instinctively, shielding her face with her arms as best as she could.  She felt sharp stings on her hands and arms and heard giant boughs crashing down around her.  

Dust and soil choked the air in great flurries, obscuring her vision and suffocating her.  In panic she tried to draw breath, only to find herself coughing on a mouthful of debris.  The ash and smoke scorched her throat, tearing at her vocal cords, clogging her nostrils and depriving her of air.  The coughs came in violent fits as the fire burned up more and more air.  

Her attack, at least, had not missed its target completely.  Belthazor roared in blind rage and excruciating pain as he felt the full force of the witch's exploding power and fire.  The fire wound up his torso for a few agonizing seconds before the heavy rain extinguished it.  The exploding power opened a wide wound on his shoulder and halfway down his back.  Blood flowed freely from the injury.  Belthazor knew without having to look that he was in trouble.  He would not be able to stay and fight in this condition, he knew that.  

When the crackling of fiery chaos had died down somewhat, Angel lifted her head.  The rain had put out most of the fire, and what it hadn't lay smoking and glowing faintly.  She felt lightheaded and dizzy from lack of air, but now that the fire was gone, and the smoke and debris in the air had been dissipated by the rain, she could breathe a bit.  Angel panted heavily like a dog, ignoring the sharp acrid smell of burnt wood, not really aware of anything for a while but breathing.  Her eyes stung and watered at the smoke, and a fresh bout of coughing overtook her.  Her throat felt raw and seared, as if she had swallowed some of the fire itself.  Then she got to her feet slowly, brushing off ash and mud and swept her surroundings in a single gaze.  Fallen tree limbs were strewn everywhere.  The ground around her was scorched black, and everything within a 10 yard radius of her had been either flattened, burnt, or exploded. 

But by some small miracle, the bag she had brought from home lay on the blackened earth, intact, and almost untouched.  Angel ran over and picked it up.  She inspected its contents to see that nothing was disturbed before slinging it over her shoulder.  The young witch marveled at how it could have survived the fire, but decided not to spend any more time on the matter.  Just as well that it had.  

She sighed and looked up, trying to determine what to do now when she caught sight of Haldir standing not 20 feet in front of her, staring at Angel and the destruction around her, a clear look of questioning on his fair face.  

Can someone tell me about how college works?  Like, what kind of classes people take, where they eat lunch, what time classes are over, how many days a week they have class, when they have after-school sports, and stuff like that.  Cuz I'm still in middle school and I have no clue.    So, if someone could answer those questions, that would be really helpful since chances are I'll have to know something about college to write the scenes where Kendall and Adrian are at school.  

Thanks to my Reviewers:

shortsandshirts: you should really watch some more Charmed!  It's an awesome show, though a bit confusing if you don't know what's going on.  Yes, and I love the LOTR fandom too.  Legolas is my fave character, not so much Haldir though.  

Songbreeze1125: Our spring break was about 2-3 weeks ago, and yes it was awesome.  

Latin4ever93: Too bad, this chapter is below average length, but I had fun writing it.  Thank you for the suggestion, but I have decided that this will be neither a Legolas or Haldir romance.  'Tis still gonna be a romance though.  

Roos: I should do more cliffies if they are this much fun!   Yes, evil author.  Gollum: she'ssss wickedsss.  We hatesssss her. . . stranglessss her, yesss, wringssss her neck, yess.  We hatessss cliffiessss. . .  Well, thanks for reading as always.  You are awesum!!! 

Lady Light: blushes thank you!  Since you're willing to read anything I write, maybe you'll be willing to read an original kind of romance.  

Alandra: Oh c'mon, did you really think I'd give up after only 11 chapters?  "I love the way that you manage to go between the two worlds and still have the story making sense."  blushes then bows thank you!  It's something I picked up from reading Brian Jacques' Redwall series.  It's a very useful tactic though.  Lol.  Also, Alandra, as you know, I named an OC after you, so I hope you don't mind being Adrian's girlfriend.     And one last thing, what channel is the next whole day of Charmed on?  I don't have cable though, but if it's on WB20 like it normally is, then I might get to watch it! :)  

Lady Fae: Thank you very much for the college information!  It'll help with my next few scenes!!

Xoulblade: Oh, I see. . . you mean flirting!  What /will/ Haldir say to Angel's wildfire?  Too bad she's physically unable to answer his questions.  Convenient, isn't it?  Borri's fate is already decided, all that's left to do is for me to write it out.  But thanks for reading and reviewing!  I was starting to think you had stopped reading.  

Soccer-Bitch: Thank you for your luvly review as always.  As you will find out soon enough, Haldir didn't see quite as much as Angel feared.  

Salem: If Mr. McKenzie is boring in real life, I could make him a boring teacher in this story!  Lol.  I have a lot in store for Jazz.  I'd like to tell you now, but that would be giving it away too soon, wouldn't it?    

Nikki:  Thank you for the tips!  I don't quite understand number three though, so if you could explain a bit, that would be great.  This shall (I've been dying for a chance to use that word) be neither a Legomance or a Haldir romance.  But chances are good that it will be a romance of some kind.  

ElvenWitch13: Uh yeah, maybe I'll ask Audrey to ask her sister about college over AIM or something.  Mr. Platinum Blonde is hot, but nothing like Legolas.  swoon  Thanks for the review!  BTW, does your Elven name mean 'jewel of silver' or something close to that?

Z21: Thanks for the e-mail.  It will help me lots writing some of the next scenes! hugs  Uh. . . could you clarify some of the things that you said that don't make sense?  I do plan on explaining some stuff later on, but maybe I overlooked something.  Thanks for reviewing!  

Crecy: You and Dakota will show up sooner or later.  Dakota will play a pretty important role in the story (mainly cuz I think he's hott!).  "If people flame you I beat them with a phone."  Thanks for the offer, but so far there's no need to do so.  But flames will come sooner or later (I'm a very optimistic person.), and I might need you then.  

Mia: Dangerous, definitely.  Sweet, maybe.  Innocent. . . well. . . she /has/ murdered hundreds of demons.    And Angel is 18.  I would have made her older, but then she would have been in college and I didn't want that.  

"There is a fell voice on the air."

          -Legolas from the FOTR movie.  


	13. Ch 12: Suspicion Deepens

Thanks to my Reviewers:

shortsandshirts: you should really watch some more Charmed!  It's an awesome show, though a bit confusing if you don't know what's going on.  Yes, and I love the LOTR fandom too.  Legolas is my fave character, not so much Haldir though.  

Songbreeze1125: Our spring break was about 2-3 weeks ago, and yes it was awesome.  

Latin4ever93: Too bad, this chapter is below average length, but I had fun writing it.  Thank you for the suggestion, but I have decided that this will be neither a Legolas or Haldir romance.  'Tis still gonna be a romance though.  

Roos: I should do more cliffies if they are this much fun!   Yes, evil author.  Gollum: she'ssss wickedsss.  We hatesssss her. . . stranglessss her, yesss, wringssss her neck, yess.  We hatessss cliffiessss. . .  Well, thanks for reading as always.  You are awesum!!! 

Lady Light: blushes thank you!  Since you're willing to read anything I write, maybe you'll be willing to read an original kind of romance.  

Alandra: Oh c'mon, did you really think I'd give up after only 11 chapters?  "I love the way that you manage to go between the two worlds and still have the story making sense."  blushes then bows thank you!  It's something I picked up from reading Brian Jacques' Redwall series.  It's a very useful tactic though.  Lol.  Also, Alandra, as you know, I named an OC after you, so I hope you don't mind being Adrian's girlfriend.     And one last thing, what channel is the next whole day of Charmed on?  I don't have cable though, but if it's on WB20 like it normally is, then I might get to watch it! :)  

Lady Fae: Thank you very much for the college information!  It'll help with my next few scenes!!

Xoulblade: Oh, I see. . . you mean flirting!  What /will/ Haldir say to Angel's wildfire?  Too bad she's physically unable to answer his questions.  Convenient, isn't it?  Borri's fate is already decided, all that's left to do is for me to write it out.  But thanks for reading and reviewing!  I was starting to think you had stopped reading.  

Soccer-Bitch: Thank you for your luvly review as always.  As you will find out soon enough, Haldir didn't see quite as much as Angel feared.  

Salem: If Mr. McKenzie is boring in real life, I could make him a boring teacher in this story!  Lol.  I have a lot in store for Jazz.  I'd like to tell you now, but that would be giving it away too soon, wouldn't it?    

Nikki:  Thank you for the tips!  I don't quite understand number three though, so if you could explain a bit, that would be great.  This shall (I've been dying for a chance to use that word) be neither a Legomance or a Haldir romance.  But chances are good that it will be a romance of some kind.  

ElvenWitch13: Uh yeah, maybe I'll ask Audrey to ask her sister about college over AIM or something.  Mr. Platinum Blonde is hot, but nothing like Legolas.  swoon  Thanks for the review!  BTW, does your Elven name mean 'jewel of silver' or something close to that?

Z21: Thanks for the e-mail.  It will help me lots writing some of the next scenes! hugs  Uh. . . could you clarify some of the things that you said that don't make sense?  I do plan on explaining some stuff later on, but maybe I overlooked something.  Thanks for reviewing!  

Crecy: You and Dakota will show up sooner or later.  Dakota will play a pretty important role in the story (mainly cuz I think he's hott!).  "If people flame you I beat them with a phone."  Thanks for the offer, but so far there's no need to do so.  But flames will come sooner or later (I'm a very optimistic person.), and I might need you then.  

Mia: Dangerous, definitely.  Sweet, maybe.  Innocent. . . well. . . she /has/ murdered hundreds of demons.    And Angel is 18.  I would have made her older, but then she would have been in college and I didn't want that.  

"There is a fell voice on the air."

          -Legolas from the FOTR movie.  

            Ch. 12

Angel's mouth went completely dry at the sight of Haldir.  The knowing look in his crystal blue eyes terrified her even more than Belthazor had.  How the hell would she explain this without revealing that she was a witch?  How much had he seen?  Enough to draw the conclusion that she was a witch without needing to ask?  

The elf studied her, his keen gaze noting everything from the faint streak of dirt across her jawline to the scrapes on her palms and the cuts and minor burns on her hands and arms.  He had been on patrol that day, not part of the search sent out to find her, but keeping an eye out in any case.  He had been drawn to this area by the sharp scent of smoke and the crackling of fire.  By the time he arrived at the scene, the fire had been quenched by the downpour and Angel was getting up from her defensive crouch.  He was puzzled, to say the least.  How could a fire have started in this rain?  And where had she been for the last few days?

Haldir took a few steps forward, a frown creasing his brow.  His eyes locked with hers for a moment, searching them as if doing so would uncover the answers he wanted to know.  Angel tried to hold his gaze to show that she wasn't afraid, but she couldn't stop herself from turning away from his penetrating stare.  Those crystal eyes seemed to see right through her, rendering her vulnerable and exposed.  She braced herself for the inevitable questions.  

"How did this fire start?" demanded Haldir, none too kindly.  

Angel winced inwardly at the harshness in his voice.  But now she knew that if he hadn't seen how the fire started, then he hadn't seen her fight with Belthazor either.  The thought sent a wave of relief through her, but she cautioned herself that she wasn't completely off the hook yet.  She reasoned that pleading ignorance would be her best chance at avoiding questions about the fire, so she said – or, more precisely – tried to say, "I don't know."  But the words never made it out of her mouth.  What came out was dry rasp, followed by a fresh bout of coughing.  When that had subsided, she straightened up again and tried to speak again.  Her throat itched and burned as she managed to get the three words out, barely intelligible.  Breathing all that ash and smoke had scorched her throat badly enough that she could barely speak.  

But Haldir seemed to get the message and cocked a skeptical eyebrow.  Angel knew that he had seen right through her, and that made her almost glad that she was physically unable to speak.  

Haldir's glare deepened.  "Where have you been?" he demanded.  Angel avoided his eyes, but it was easy to read her emotions.  Fear, worry, and uncertainty.  It was obvious to the elf that she was shielding something from him – and probably from everyone in the Fellowship as well.  He sighed and beckoned for her to follow before turning to leave.  Angel looked back at the destruction that she had caused and followed silently after him.  

After Angel left and the portal had been closed, Kendall, Adrian, and Wyatt said their goodbyes as well and orbed back to New York so that Kendall and Adrian could pack for college.  Piper and Paige would search for Comet and give word if the dog was found.  Even so, Kendall and Adrian were both troubled by the pet's sudden disappearance, though Adrian would not admit it and Kendall was sure she was jumping to conclusions.

Wyatt seemed confident that Comet would show up sooner or later, and that worrying over it was unnecessary.  But that was the nature of his personality, and nothing ever seemed to change it.  Live each day as it comes, never worry for doing so accomplished nothing.  That was his attitude toward life, but it was one that Kendall and Adrian found difficult to adopt as he did.  

Kendall placed a thick textbook into the suitcase then sat down on her bed with a sigh.  The trunk was half full already with books, so all that was left to get packed were clothes and some other miscellaneous items.  She shifted to face her wardrobe then swung open the closet door.  She flipped through the clothes, pausing every now and again to chose something to lay out on her bed.  She folded them and placed them inside the suitcase, and carefully placed the charm she had made inside her pocket, where it would be close enough to offer some protection when the time came.  She then used her telekinesis to bring a toothbrush and toothpaste to herself from the bathroom across  the hallway.  They came gliding in midair towards her, but when she flipped her wrist to bring them into the trunk, the toothbrush split cleanly into two pieces through the middle.  

Kendall's hand jerked back as she realized what she had unintentionally done.  Controlling her new molecular manipulation power was not going to be a simple task.  She would have to remember to try not to use her magic carelessly at college, or she could easily slice off someone's head.  

She gingerly crossed the room and picked up the broken toothbrush and toothpaste.  After returning with a new toothbrush from the bathroom and packing the rest of her things, she zipped up the trunk and hurried downstairs for the evening meal.  

When they had gotten home from San Francisco, it was nearly eight o'clock, too late to cook anything for dinner.  Since she and Adrian were both busy packing, and Wyatt's culinary abilities were virtually nonexistent, she had asked Wyatt to order pizza and to bake some ready-to-bake cookie dough, a task that could not spell out "bonfire in the kitchen", not even for him.  

Kendall coughed on a strong sharp scent in the air. . . and recognized it as. . . '_Smoke?_' she wondered curiously.  She could hear the sound of Adrian laughing downstairs and Wyatt moaning.  Intrigued, she went to investigate.  

The sight that met her rendered her at a loss of words.  Adrian and Wyatt stood in the kitchen, with the oven door open and spewing thin tendrils of smoke.  Adrian was nearly bent double with bouts of laughter, while Wyatt was standing nearby with his head in his hands.  

Apparently, Wyatt's cooking skills did not even stretch far enough to setting the timer right on the oven.  

Kendall fanned the smoke from her face.  "Wyatt, for someone who loves food as much as you do, you can't cook to save your life."

"Who knew baking cookies would be so complicated?" he asked sullenly.

Kendall rolled her eyes and said in exasperation, "I understand that baking ready-to-bake cookies is an extremely complex process, but you see, that's why there are directions on the box."  She picked up the package and shoved it at her cousin.  

Wyatt squinted at the small type on the narrow side of the box and threw his hands up.  "The instructions are in tiny print.  How was I supposed to see them?  Why didn't the makers have the sense to put them in large font?"

"The makers assumed that their consumers would be advanced and intelligent enough to look for directions when they didn't know what to set the time to."  Kendall put on an oven glove and tilted the burnt cookies into the trash can.

The doorbell rang, and Adrian straightened up to get it.  "Well at least we still have pizza!" he called over his shoulder.  

The morning Kendall and Adrian were scheduled to return to college was a overcast and melancholy one.  They waited wordlessly for the bus to arrive, their moods mirroring the weather.  The city square was filled with throngs of college students and their luggage, but despite their numbers, the area was relatively silent.  Everyone felt moody in the despondent weather.  Adrian tilted his head skywards and gazed at the milky grey sky.  '_I hope you're alright, Angelyn_,' he thought bleakly.  As the oldest of his siblings, he felt responsible for his sisters, and allowing Angel to leave for the second time went against his sense of duty as an older brother.  

Adrian absorbed himself in memories of the past, his physical self still standing beside Kendall beneath an indifferent grey sky, but his mind wandered back in time.  

It was summer in San Francisco, and Adrian remembered the day clearly.  He was six, with his seventh birthday only months away.  Matthew had called his son to him after dinner.  Kendall, Angel, and Wyatt played with Comet outside in the backyard, and though Adrian was impatient to join them, he waited to hear what his father had to say. 

Matthew's face lacked its usual smile as he addressed the boy gravely.  "Adrian," he said, and the child looked up at his father questioningly.  "I need you to promise me something."

"What?"

"Promise me that you'll look after your sisters if the time ever comes that your mother and I aren't around to take care of you."  

"But you and Mom will always be around!" Adrian protested instantly.  In his six-year-old mind, not having his parents with him forever was an unthinkable and impossible thing.

Matthew silenced him with a finger to his lips.  "No, son.  We may be with you for a long time yet, but if something happens to us, I need to know that you, Angelyn, and Kendall will be taken care of."  Matthew faltered, rethinking what he was asking of his son.  "Promise me that you'll protect your sisters when we're gone."

Adrian complied solemnly and without hesitation, as a boy who trusted his father with his life.  Matthew let on a faint flicker of his old smile and clapped Adrian on the back.  "That's my boy," he said before letting Adrian leave to play.  

Adrian never forgot his promise, and he honored it on the memory of his father.  In retrospect, he could see that his father realized the danger he and his mother were in, demon-hunting constantly.  

This was his solemn vow, one he had never told anyone, not even his sisters.  Perhaps Kendall had suspected something from time to time, but she did not know of it, not even with her empathy power.

Adrian felt a hand on his shoulder, and he turned to find himself face to face with his best friend, Dakota.

Dakota was the first person he had met since he came to New York, about three years ago.  They had met on the bus to college for their freshman year, and since then, had become closer than brothers.  There were times when Adrian had come to the verge of telling Dakota about being a witch, only to stop himself with the thought that the burden was his to bear, and his alone.  

Dakota was physically imposing, with his height of six feet four.  He had shoulder-length brown hair and matching eyes.  He kept his face casually indifferent most of the time, but always with a quick smile hidden beneath the outward show. All in all, he was handsome, and drew more attention from girls than any other man Adrian had ever known.  With his charming stance and looks, Dakota was easily the most sought after guy at the college.  But in spite of it, Dakota hadn't been dating for almost half a year, though Adrian knew where his interests lay.  

"Hey Adrian," he said in his deep voice, clapping a hand over Adrian's shoulder.  But Adrian could see that even as he said this, Dakota was looking in Kendall's direction, who was waving to her friend, Jasmine.  A smile tugged at the corners of Adrian's mouth and Dakota caught it.  

"What?" he asked sulkily, knowing what the answer would be.  

"Admit it, Dakota.  You like her," Adrian said, as he pulled his friend away from the girls.  

Dakota tore his gaze away, then cried indignantly, "No I don't!"

Adrian thought it was amusing to see his friend deny it, and he pressed on.  "Oh, come on.  You know it and I do too.  Quit denying it and just do something about it."

Dakota blushed – something that he did when only Kendall was being mentioned.  "Okay, fine.  Supposing that I do – and I don't – but just theoretically, for argument's sake – what should I do about it?  Ask her out?" he suggested, as if that were the most ridiculous thing in the world.  

"Well. . . /if/ you do like Kendall – which you don't – I'd say that yes, you should ask her out – even though you wouldn't, given that you don't like her, but since you're only asking me this 'for argument's sake' – "

Dakota clamped a hand over Adrian's mouth, thus cutting off any further sarcastic remarks.  "Shut up, you jackass!  Not so loud!"

Adrian snickered and threw his hand off.  "Admit it."

Dakota glared at him venomously.  "I /don't/!" he growled.

"It's obvious."

"It is?" Dakota asked quickly, unable to disguise his concern.

Adrian laughed at him even harder when Dakota glared at his best friend and snarled, "Dammit, shut up!"

Adrian continued teasing his friend as they boarded the bus, though Dakota stubbornly denied everything about his feelings towards Kendall.  Dakota breathed a sigh of relief as Adrian abandoned further joking when his girlfriend came over to their seat.  

Alandra was a junior, almost a year younger than Dakota and Adrian.  Long locks framed a narrow face with green-grey eyes.  Her hair was a sunkist mix of red and gold, making her neither a redhead or a blonde, but somewhere in between.  Her friends thought that she was closer to a redhead, because of her quick temper.  Alandra was a gymnast, as well as a runner in their track and field team.  She was slightly below average height, almost half a head shorter than Adrian.

She hugged Adrian and kissed him briefly before joining her friends Kendall and Jasmine in the back of the bus.

Only a few moments after she disappeared, her older brother Damon suddenly emerged from the crowd of boisterous college students.  The resemblances between Damon and Alandra were unmistakable.  They shared the same pale emerald eyes and the narrow features, although Damon's hair was more blonde than red.  He caught Dakota in a good-natured headlock until Dakota threw him off and he dropped down into the seat in front of them.  

Adrian watched as more people he knew got on.  His friend William slapped him on the back in manner of greeting and settled in the seat across them.  The cheerleader twins Lori and Crecy, with their identical platinum blonde hair and dimpled smiles, said their hellos as well and shoved through the rowdy melee toward Kendall and the other girls in the back of the bus.  

The driver hollered over the raucous clamor of students for everyone to settle down, but in response, the din seemed to only get louder in mockery of his command.  The engine started and the bus pulled out of the parking lot and out onto the highway.  

Adrian felt relieved at returning to the university.  He looked forward to spending Saturday nights hanging out with his friends, even dragging himself up every morning to go to classes.  Perhaps it was because he felt that his life was returning to normal, no matter how much he knew that it was far from the truth.  His fingers strayed to the jeans pocket in which the charm that Kendall had made resided.  Hopefully, it might be sufficient to ward off enough demons for him to live as close to a normal life as possible, though he doubted that any kind of protection would grant him that much.  

Sometimes he wished that he wasn't a witch, that he was like everyone else and didn't so much as believe in magic.  Kendall, too, often wished the same thing, though both of them were long past dreaming of leading normal lives.  Wyatt took magic as his destiny, for that was what it was.  And Angelyn. . . she was hardly bothered by the responsibility of protecting innocents and demon-hunting.  She didn't think too much of the issue, and accepted it into her life more easily than either of her siblings.  

Adrian looked at his friends talking animatedly and felt a surge of envy for what they didn't know.  They were oblivious to everything that Adrian had been exposed to; the demons and warlocks that prowled the earth, his obligation to protect innocents like themselves, the toll that magic took on his social life.  They were happy not knowing.   '_Ignorance is bliss_,' he thought morosely.  

"What?" asked Dakota suddenly.  The others regarded him curiously.  

"What's up man?" asked Marcus.

Dakota seemed taken aback for a moment, then said, "Nothing. . .just that I thought I heard something."  His voice sank into a barely audible whisper at the end.  

Adrian inhaled a sharp intake of air as he realized that Dakota had heard his thought.  He needed to learn to keep in check his new telepathy power quickly and be more cautious about his thoughts.  Dakota's eyes found his and held them there for a moment before turning away.  Yes, magic could certainly be a terrible burden.  

This chapter was pretty pointless, but it was mostly to introduce some new characters.  I'm sorry that it isn't as well written as it should be (and no, I do not have any excuse other than laziness for that), but I'll revise and edit it over as soon as I get the chance.  

One more important point is that this story will not be a Legomance anymore.  I will cut out all scenes that hint and suggest it.  However, this will still be a romance, though not with Haldir or any other elf.   

I'd like to thank my muse Roos for giving me ideas for this chapter.  She wards me against the terrible disease commonly known and feared by authors everywhere as writer's block.  So the part with Haldir finding Angel and becoming all suspicious came from Roos's inspiration magic.  

Additional thanks to Lady Fae and Z21 for teaching me about college life so that I could be better equipped to write about it!  

You guys rock!

Luv ya all,

-Gil


	14. Ch 13: Warnings to Tempt Fate

Lady Fae: It won't be her confronting the Fellowship, more like the other way around.

Salem: I won't actually reveal who it will be until Angel meets him.  But so far, you know that it's not Legolas or Haldir.  Yes, that's a lot of help, I know.   I have been wanting to introduce Chris for a long time now, but I started this story before the episode came out where they revealed that Chris was Wyatt's brother, and now I can't find a convenient place to introduce him without it seeming really awkward to all of a sudden introduce a new character who also happens to be Wyatt's brother.  I may end up revising the whole story and including Chris in one of the earlier chapters, but we'll just have to see.  

Jen: Her and Haldir would be cute, but the age difference would be staggering as well.  Yes, even though I drool after Legolas too, reading Legomances is starting to get dull and boring for me.  Thanks a million for the encouragement!

ElvenWitch13: Well, do you know what my penname means?  Actually, my full penname is Gilluin Lomindae, but I only use the first part.  Thank you v. much for the review and tell Audrey I said hi.  

Nikki: The brand new episodes are awesome!  All I will tell you about the romance is that it will be someone from ME.  No more questions, b/c I can be notoriously tight-lipped about these things.  

Alandra: OMG, that is creepy.  And you know what else?  I seriously considered giving my OC Alandra curly hair!  Aw. . . I don't get to watch the marathon cuz my orchestra went to State on the 28th.  In any case, I don't think I have the channel anywayz.  Chances are good that the romance will be another OC or someone that Tolkien mentioned as a background character but never really developed.  

Cindy: Thank you very much for the review.  I value your opinion!

Mia: I'm guessing you'll be happy that this entire chapter centers on Angel in ME.  I didn't do much of scenes from ME in the last few chapters cuz nothing was really happening there, so why write about it?  But now that she's back, plenty will happen.  hint hint  Thanks for reading!

Soccer-Bitch: Thanks for the review as always.  You're one of my best readers!

Mellon123: hey Whitney.  Glad to see that you're back and reading.  Well, I'll see if I can IM you l8r. 

Ch. 13            

                                                                                                                                                                                                                            Warnings to Tempt Fate

Haldir left Angel alone to return to his shift after escorting her back to the heart of the Elven city.  The search party had been called off, and any moment now, the Fellowship would come and gun her down with questions.  Angel winced inwardly and wished that she hadn't taken the healing drink for her throat that one of the Lady Galadriel's handmaidens had given her.  She put a hand to her throat and was disappointed to find that it felt as if she had nothing more than a slight sore throat, which definitely didn't qualify her to play mute in order to avoid any questions anyone directed at her.  

The minor burns and cuts on her arms were bandaged as well, to prevent infection and the sleeves of her pullover were rolled up to lessen irritation of cloth rubbing against cloth.  Her hands were wrapped in up with two strips of clean white linen each to stem the bleeding on her palms, making it look as though she was wearing a pair of white gauntlets.  She felt oddly tired as well, as though her energy had been drained.  Her movements were slow and sluggish and it seemed to take tremendous willpower to move at all.  The bag was still slung over her shoulder, though smeared with ash and stained with damp soot.  

Angel sank down to rest in a far corner of the talan, propping her head up with one bandaged arm.  She tried to remain inconspicuous and not to attract attention, but nothing seemed to escape the keen eyes of the few Elves in the talan, but they chose to ignore her, much to the girl's relief. Two passing Elves cast her curious looks, which she tried to ignore.  

As she sat contemplating her current situation, she heard the unmistakable voices of Merry, Pippin, and Sam and froze.  They were still a fair distance away, and hadn't seen her yet.  Angel looked around quickly in search of a way to slink out unnoticed, but then realized that movement might attract attention, and so she pressed herself against the wall in hope that they might overlook her and walk past.  She had no such luck, however, for Pippin stared straight in her direction, and with a huge wave and shout, rushed over, closely followed by the other two.  

"Hullo Angel," said Pippin with a broad grin as he came to a stop before her.  "It is good to see you back.  Aragorn and the others have been most upset by your disappearance."  

"They just got word that you have arrived," added Merry.  "and I suppose that they will be here to see you quite soon."

Angel's heart sank at his statement, but knew that she would have to face the others eventually.  "Are they. . .angry?" she asked quietly.  Her throat tickled as the words came out, and they were still slightly raspy, but it was clear that speaking was not a problem.  

"Angry?  They are worried, and would surely want an explanation, certainly, but I do not think they would be angry with you.  Do not worry; Strider will understand."  Sam placed a reassuring hand on her arm but redrew it quickly at the touch of the bandages.  "Oh!  How did you come by these?"

She lowered her gaze and replied, "An accident."

The hobbits accepted her vague answer and waited for her to go on, but her attention was now on Aragorn, Boromir, Legolas, Gimli, and Frodo who were heading in their direction.  She tugged her sleeves down behind her back to cover the bandages on her arms just as they came to a stop before the hobbits and her.  Aragorn's face was hard and stern, though the relief was evident on his face as well. 

"Where have you been?" he asked sharply, and the harsh tone in his voice made it clear that he was not happy with her.  

"Uh. . ."

"Have you no thought of the worry you have inflicted upon us?"  His keen grey eyes fixed her firmly under his gaze.

Angel braced herself for a long lecture on going off on her own without telling anyone and worrying everyone out of their minds.  If only they could have known the nature of her departure, the urgency of it.  

Aragorn sighed tiredly at the young woman quailing before him.  "No reason do I see for you to run off so.  What was it that caused you to act how you did?"

Here it was. . . the inevitable question.  Angel bit her lip and shook her head.  "I'm sorry Aragorn. . . I can't explain."

Aragorn's brow furrowed at her reply.  "And why not?  It is to my understanding that you left with one who claimed to be your sister, who asked for a word with you.  Where did you go thence?"  When she offered no answer, he asked the question again, more persistently this time, but she kept her gaze down and shook her head again.  

Gimli took up the interrogation.  "Of what urgency could it have been that caused you to steal away without a word?  Surely you must have some reason for this."

The witch could feel the red creeping up her cheeks as she continued to avoid their questions stubbornly.  Oh God. . .how she wanted to disappear then and there and never be seen again.  She kept her head bowed passively as the questions continued, piling up on top of one another, driving, insistent, prying. . .trying to force her open, trying to pull all her secrets spill out.  She could feel the frustration of the others at her avoidance of their questions, as well as the hobbits retreating silently from the awkward scene.  Finally, she was no longer able to contain her rising fear and anger and she snapped.

"Stop it!" she screamed, though her still tender throat cried out in protest at the strain.  They fell silent.  "Stop asking me questions.  I can't tell you, so stop asking!"  She noticed several elves looking in her direction curiously, but she ignored them.  She didn't even realize that she was running from them until she nearly collided with a passing elf.  Angel didn't even utter an apology and she pressed on, keeping her head down to avoid eye contact with any bystanders.  

She left the talan and retreated into the woods in search of sanctuary to escape to, somewhere to hide from all the doubt, mistrust, and misgivings aimed at her.  The faith between her and the rest of the Fellowship was shattered.  They would never trust her now, knowing that she kept things from them, unless she revealed to them who and what she really was, which was unthinkable.  They were suspicious, and had the right to be so, given all that she could not explain.  

Eventually, Angel came to a lone clearing and sat down at the fountain at its center.  She brought her legs up onto the sill of the fountain and drew them in towards her, wrapping her bandaged hands around them.  She picked idly at the white linen, tinged red in some areas, as she rested her chin on her knees.  That was another thing she would be unable to explain: the cuts and burns from her fight with Belthazor.  She shrugged.  It would hardly make a difference now.  

She stayed there for a long time, until the sun scattered the remaining grey clouds and shone high above the treetops.  Her stomach growled, but she paid no heed to it.  It was midday, and she had eaten nothing since breakfast back in San Francisco, but she was not ready to go back for food and face the others just yet.  

She was deep in thought, thinking of Belthazor and the threat he posed to her and the Fellowship.  How would she defend them if – no, when – the time came?  Was she strong enough to fend off someone as powerful as Belthazor?  Not for the first time since she had come on this mission, Angel wondered why she had been chosen for this job.  

Kendall would be better suited for this, maybe Adrian too.   Kendall had the discipline and fair reasoning, as well as the intuition and keen instincts.  Adrian had the sheer guts to execute plans and solid courage to see everything through to the end.  Even Wyatt, despite how he did not tend to take things too seriously and his relaxed style of handling situations would have been a better candidate for this task.  He was the most experienced of them all in magic, and by far the most powerful.  

She laid her head down into her knees and closed her eyes.  She thought of her siblings and Wyatt and wondered what they were doing at that very moment.  Kendall and Adrian were probably on their way back to New York already, or maybe they were fighting another demon.  Either way, Angel hoped that they were safe, and that seemed almost too much to count on in times like these.  

Angel started when she felt a hand on her shoulder.  She lifted her head and found herself staring into the handsome face of Boromir, his features lined with concern.  

"May I keep you company, my lady?" he asked respectfully.

Angel smiled tiredly.  "There's no need to call me 'lady'."

Boromir lowered himself beside her and Angel turned to face him.  "But are you not?"

"Hardly," was her amused reply.

Boromir watched her for a while before stating, "We would like to have you back for the midday meal."

Angel shrugged.  "I think I need time. . . on my own for a while."

The Man of Gondor nodded as if he understood.  "May I beg your pardon, but where did you go with the lady Kendall?" he asked, not forcefully, should she feel compelled to answer to his question.  

The witch couldn't help but smile at his question.  Though she was not the best at interpreting intentions, it was obvious what the ulterior motive to his question was.  He wanted to know where Kendall was.  "Kendall wishes you best of fortune on this quest."

Boromir had trouble hiding his pleasure at the statement and he smiled broadly, waiting for Angel to go on.

A slight frown flitted across her face as she said, "Kendall is home.  She won't be back for a long time."

There was nothing to disguise the eagerness in Boromir's voice as he said, "Should chance favor me, perhaps I could visit her in her homeland, when all this is over."

Poor Boromir.  How was he to know that he wouldn't live to get the chance?  Even as she thought this, an idea entered Angel's mind.  She couldn't save Boromir's life, of course, but suppose warning him would be enough.  Why not?  She wouldn't interfere with fate, not directly anyway.  He deserved a chance, and Kendall deserved love.  Angel shifted to face Boromir in the eyes.  She put on a serious face and held his gaze steady to assert that he should listen.  "Boromir. . ."

He seemed taken aback by her sudden chance of mood, but said nothing.

"Kendall wants you to be careful on this mission.  I do too."  Angel hesitated as she reconsidered what she was doing, but she decided to carry on.  "Watch your back, don't let anything happen to you.  Be wary of orcs and their arrows – " Angel stopped herself before she got too specific.  "and hold back from temptations – no matter how enticing they may seem."  She held his eyes for a moment longer, then released them, wondering if she had just made a terrible mistake.  

Boromir regarded her curiously, and Angel knew what he must be thinking.  Who was she – this girl, barely even a woman yet – to give a great Lord of Gondor advice and warnings?  But he accepted it with no more than a smile, and Angel wondered if he believed a word she had said.

He stood up slowly, and when he spoke it was not of what she had just said.  "Are you sure you would not like to come back with me to eat?"

Angel shook her head firmly, caught halfway in between disappointment that he did not take her seriously and relief that he did not pursue the topic.  "No, you go on ahead."  

"Then be sure to return by nightfall, Angel," he said, dutifully omitting the title of 'lady.'

"I will," she assured him as she watched him turn and disappear into the trees, leaving her alone with her thoughts.  What had she done?  Should she really have warned him?  Kendall often told her that she didn't think before she acted, was this another time when it was so?  Angel groaned and buried her head in her arms.  Then she thought of all the great things Boromir had done.  He had done great deeds in the wars along the East-borders, she had been told once, and was both a warrior born and respected for his courage and valor.  The latter of the two she had seen for herself.  Did succumbing to such a powerful evil as the Ring outweigh all that?  Her heart told her no, but fate spoke otherwise.  

"She is not to be trusted, Aragorn."

"I know this, Haldir.  Angelyn keeps things from us, shielding some secret for reasons I know not."

"There is no place in the Quest for a girl who hides a secret that may affect you all."  The elf watched Aragorn with cool blue eyes.  "It would be better for all if she is left behind when your time calls upon you to leave Lórien."

"It was Gandalf's wish to see her in this Company," said Aragorn simply.  "He would not have done so with no reason.  Perhaps he knew of the secret she keeps."

"The Fellowship was set for Nine Walkers against the Nine Riders.  Unless there is another in addition to the Nine Nazgûl, her presence tilts the balance.  And of what use is she to you?" asked Haldir sharply, a frown creasing his brow.  "She is naught but a follower, and would slow you down, which is not to be taken lightly when the Quest is one of haste.  Surely there is no reason to bring her on so arduous a mission."

"Perhaps this is so, but I believe otherwise."  Aragorn faltered here, and continued hesitantly, "She can take care of herself, in ways I am unable to explain.  Her skill in weaponry is doubtful, but she has defended herself adequately, how, I know not."  He shook his head.  "The choice was Gandalf's, and in his reason I place my trust."

"There is a fine line between trust and foolishness, Heir of Isildur," cautioned Haldir gravely.  "Do not cross over it."

"Your advice will not go unheeded," replied Aragorn.  "Yet I chose to allow the girl to stay with us.  If my decision proves misguided, we will leave her in Edoras should we choose to join Boromir in the war in Minas Tirith."

Haldir smiled wryly at his answer.  "And if you do not make for the White City?"

"We will deal with it then."

When the sun shone dusky red against the horizon, Angel had already gone back to the talan where the rest of the Fellowship resided.  Legolas and Gimli were away with the other elves as they often were these days, and only the hobbits and Boromir were there. Boromir lifted his eyes to her and said a greeting, and she responded with a feigned smile.  The hobbits came up to her and launched into a light conversation almost right away, in the manner of hobbits.  

Angel set her bag down and watched them, listening most of the time and feeling her mood lift somewhat at their seemingly unquenchable cheerfulness.  At one point Boromir came over and joined in, but Angel took no notice.  By then, she wasn't really paying attention to what was being said, and had retreated back within herself.  

When Aragorn returned, they went down to dinner with the elves.  Angel sampled two dishes, but her mind was elsewhere.  She left early to avoid too much contact with the rest of the Fellowship and climbed back up the talan.  It was empty; everyone else was at dinner.  She drew her pack toward her and emptied its contents out before her.  Nothing was damaged from her encounter with Belthazor, but an unfamiliar wrapped object caught her eye.

She took it out and laid it down in front of her.  The object was long and slender, tightly wrapped in white cloth and fastened by string.  Tentatively, she started to unwrap it.  She untied the string and unraveled the fabric slowly.  It was not an easy task because the bandages on her hands were tight and restricted free movement, but she was able to remove the cloth without too much difficulty.  There was a note wrapped in with the object, but Angel chose to examine it later.

It was a steel knife, double-edged but blunt, with a handle bound in worn black leather.  The blade was obviously old, for the metal was scratched and pitted.  There were grey tarnishes on its surface, and the dullness of the edges made it almost useless as a weapon.  Angel wondered who had put it in her bag and why.  Then she turned her attention to the small piece of paper she had ignored earlier.

Kendall's neat, clear handwriting was easily recognized, and the note read:

_Hello Angel.  This is an athame, and as you know, it is a ceremonial tool used to direct energy.  Though this may not do you much good as a weapon, you might find it useful in learning to control your new powers.  Hold it out in your palms, the tip pointing outwards, and channel through the blade and out the point.  I hope this helps you and good luck!_

_-Kendall_

Angel folded the note and tucked it safely in her pocket.  She picked up the athame gingerly and held it lightly in her fingers to examine it more closely.  Cautiously, she placed the edge against her forefinger and tested its sharpness.  The skin did not break, and so she held it out in her palms as Kendall had instructed, with the point facing away from her.  She did not intend to channel; and with the harsh memory of what had taken place in her fight with Belthazor, she wondered if she dared try when the time came that she needed to.  

She had never been as skilled in magic as her siblings.  She had only come into her powers when she was nearly seven, which was considered abnormally late, especially for a witch of the Halliwell line.

Hopefully, this knife would prove the answer to her power outrage problems.  Mentally, Angel thanked Kendall for it, hoping that wherever she was, Kendall would be able to take care of  herself.

Across vast expanses of time and space, beneath a starless night sky, the demon Belthazor lay in agony, shrieking oaths to the indifferent black heavens.  He was sprawled out on his front across a thin blanket draped over a stone floor, his arms propped up before him and his head bowed.  He was in the vast caverns of the Underworld, with the small fire beside him the only source of light in the unnaturally black hours of darkness.  A cloth soaked in warm water brushed his back, and his body arched in anguish.  It prompted a fresh bout of curses, until the demon tending him snapped over his cries, "Shut up!  You're distracting me!"

Belthazor cut back the rest of the expletive language and looked over his shoulder at his back.  It was not a pretty sight.  Much of the skin was burnt off, and flesh was clearly visible beneath it, burnt black in some areas and raw red in others, still dribbling dark blood.  He reeked of burnt flesh and the rusty scent of blood.

The demon cleaning his wounds was called the Oracle, a demon who possessed powers of seeing into the future.  She had a dark olive tone to her skin, and dark of hair and eyes.  The task was not one she had wanted, as could be observed by the disgusted and impatient expression on her face.  But she knew better than to defy the orders of the Source.  

To say the least, the Source was not happy with Belthazor and his efforts to vanquish the Charmed Ones.  In his eyes, Belthazor had let too many opportunities slip, and now the chances of destroying the Halliwells were slimmer than ever.  Under any other conditions, the Source would have dispatched Belthazor for his failure, but he knew just as well as Belthazor did that he was the best demon for the job.  

Belthazor sneered.  He did not hunt the Charmed Ones only because the Source had charged him this duty.  No, he did so for revenge – revenge for what Phoebe Halliwell had forced him to suffer through. 

The Oracle tossed aside the bloodied rags and reached for a bottle of healing salve.  Her lip curled in contempt at the degrading work as she spread the creamy balm over his torn flesh, ignoring Belthazor's low growls and swears.  He jerked away from her hand and she scowled, face twisting into a nasty glower.  

"This would be much easier and swifter if you would stop moving so much!" grated the Oracle edgily.

"Then perhaps I should do to you what the witch did to me, so that you may know how this feels?" snarled Belthazor in a dangerous undertone.  The Oracle blanched and hastily resumed her task.  He tried to block out the white-hot flames licking at his back as he endured the Oracle binding his wound tightly with clean white linen.  He restrained himself as well as he could from bucking, though he vented out his pain through more curses.  When the Oracle was finished, she gathered her medicine supplies and he dismissed her.  

'_I hunt you still, witch.  Do not think that I have forgotten.  You will pay your mother's price for what she did to me_.'  Belthazor smiled to himself.  Vengeance!  It was a sweet word.

For those of you who don't understand why Belthazor wants revenge, it was part of the original Charmed Ones' history, and I will make this clearer in later chapters.  

I read my entire story over last night. . . and I am mortified at how badly written the beginning chapters were.  I can see why so many people quit reading at the first chapter, and I apologize to those of you who had to suffer through it all.  I found that I have some plot holes that desperately need to be filled in, need to tone down the MS-ness, cut out some corny scenes, and basically revise and edit a couple of times.  The good thing is that I got to see the progress I made in my writing, and I think I've gotten better over the past few months.  So, as I continue posting new chapters, I will also be revising the others.


	15. Ch 14: The Angel of Death

* * *

For Angel, the day the Fellowship was due to leave Lórien came far too soon.  Not only would she greatly miss the breathtaking beauty of the elven realm, but traveling with the Fellowship would mean no more time to herself, and it would be difficult to avoid them now.  She wondered how long it would be before they found out about her magic.  Angel winced.  Already, she was no longer thinking _if_ they found out, but _when_.  But perhaps this was bound to happen now.  Perhaps it was only a matter of time.

They left Lórien under the full light of day, from a haven out into dire peril.  The Lady Galadriel bestowed upon each of the Company gifts.  Aragorn was given a elven sheath for Andúril.  Boromir, Merry, and Pippin were given belts crafted by the Galadrim.  To Sam she presented a small wooden box with fine grey soil from the gardens of Lórien and a mallorn seed.  Frodo received a phial of light from the star Earendil, to see him through the light-forsaken lands of Mordor.  She granted to Gimli three strands of her hair, which he promised to treasure and set as an heirloom and peace token between the elves and the dwarves.

Angelyn was surprised when the Lady of the Golden Woods pulled her aside for a few private words.  The rest of the Fellowship and the Galadrim watched them curiously as they retreated into a small clearing beside the river of Nimrodel. 

The young witch wondered if Galadriel wanted her to stay in Lórien, or if she wanted to tell her to be careful – she mentally rolled her eyes at the thought.  She was perfectly capable of taking care of herself. 

"Angelyn."

Angel looked up at Galadriel and their eyes met.  She could feel the elf's clear eyes reading her emotions, looking in her soul.  She licked her lips and tried to return the gaze.  "Yes?"

"I entrust the fate of the Fellowship and Middle-earth into your hands."

The statement was so straightforward, so. . . unexpected, that it caught her completely off guard. Angel just stared for a while, shocked, until she realized what she was doing and averted her eyes in haste. 

She did not look at the Lady, but if she had, she would have seen a kind smile gracing her lips.  "I know what you hide from the Fellowship, Angel," said Galadriel.

Angel could have sworn that her heart stopped beating when she heard that.  She turned around sharply to see if they were alone in the glade, and nearly sighed aloud in relief that they were.  Then she turned back to Galadriel and whispered, "I do not know what you are talking about."

She knew that Galadriel would see right through the lie immediately, and could not help the thought that came through her head.  _I just lied to the Lady of the Golden Woods._  An involuntary shiver wound down her spine

"There is no need for you to deny it, child."  Galadriel shook her head slowly, still with that knowing smile.  "I know who you are, as did Gandalf."

"Then who am I?"  Angel could not help the trace of defiance in her voice.  _Gandalf knew!  He knew it all along!  He could have told everyone!  _But part of her knew that he wouldn't have.  He wouldn't betray her like that.  She could hear her heart pounding in her ears as she awaited the answer.

"You are Angelyn Halliwell, daughter of Phoebe and Matthew Halliwell."  Galadriel laid a gentle hand on her shoulder.  "You are a Charmed One."

Angel tried feigning denial, though the effort was wasted before Galadriel's perceptive eyes.  _I was never a good actress anyway_, she thought glumly as she clenched her fists unconsciously. 

"You have no need to hide your identity from me.  The fate of both our future and yours hang in the balance."  Galadriel waved her hand expressively around her.  "Lórien is one of the last sanctuaries of Middle-earth, but even it cannot last should the Quest fail."

Angel was reminded once again of the enormity of the charge she had taken on when she volunteered for this.  Not for the first time, she wondered if it should have been entrusted to someone else, someone who was stronger and more capable.  She must have allowed some of her doubt to surface on her face because Galadriel shook her head and said softly, "Do not wallow in self-doubt.  You were chosen because you were the best for the undertaking.  It would be wrong to regret it."

"Thank you," whispered Angel earnestly.  She looked back at the Fellowship, who were filling the boats with their packs.  "But. . .sometimes I wonder – "  She relaxed her hands when she felt her nails digging into her palm and glanced back at Galadriel.  She faltered, but plowed on at the Lady's nod for her to go on.  "I wonder if I am prepared for what Belthazor has in store for me," she confessed bleakly.

Galadriel straightened up and shook her head.  "Do not second guess yourself, Angelyn.  While it may be true that the demon is powerful, you are our best chance against him." 

"How did you find out about me?" Angel asked.  "Does anyone else know?" 

"There are many things that are best left unsaid," answered Galadriel elusively, reaching into her robes and taking out a small object wrapped in linen.  She unfolded the cloth slowly and as she did so, Angel caught a swift flash of silver.  "This is my gift to you, Angelyn," she said as she held the object up. 

It appeared at first sight to be a necklace, a silver chain with a small milky white stone pendant.  Then she noticed that something was marked upon the smooth surface of the teardrop pendant.  Curious, she peered closer and gasped.  Carved upon the pure stone was a circle with what resembled an intertwined triangle set inside.  It was the familiar sign of the essence of good magic – the triquetra symbol.  The lines were fine, but deep set, and Angel doubted that they had been carved.  Set by magic, probably.

"This is an amulet!" she said in a hushed voice.  Amulets were charms that protected its bearer from harm, and only great strength could overcome them.  They were rare, as well.  To put it lightly, Angel was shocked that Galadriel was offering her this.

"This was given to me long ago by a witch like yourself.  Her name was Amanriel, meaning 'blessedly wreathed', for that is what she was." 

Angel assumed that Amanriel had been blessed in the sense that she had powers of a witch, though that seemed to be a euphemism. 

"She died an honorable death fighting a demon.  I believe I can only honor her memory by helping you in your cause."  Galadriel fastened it around her neck and Angel heard a faint click as the clasp was secured.  She looked up at the elf, wordless gratitude in her eyes.  "This will ward you against all but the most evil of demons."

"Th-thank you," Angel managed to stammer out. 

"Do not thank me until it saves your life."  Angel wondered if this was another of Galadriel's predictions.  The elf's smile seemed sad and distant.  "May your road be smooth and fare well, Angelyn Halliwell."

"Good-bye."  Angel wondered briefly if she should bow or curtsey or something, but decided against it at the awkward mental image of herself doing so.  "And thanks again."

It was with absence of mind that Angelyn fingered the stone at her throat as she sat calmly gazed into the swirling of Anduin.  She was sitting in one of the three boats that the Galadrim had bestowed upon the Company.  She resided somewhere near the middle of the boat, with Legolas and Gimli paddling in front and behind her.

They had been paddling for several hours now, and Lothlórien was long out of sight.  For a long time, they were flanked on both shores by tall dark trees.  They had been ominous and foreboding, and Angel clearly remembered being unable to push the concern out of her mind that the band of orcs that had pursued them out of Moria might be hiding in them.  Even now, when the trees had eventually thinned out and disappeared, the feeling of being exposed and vulnerable seemed even worse. 

So far though, the ride had been uneventful, indeed, so much so that Angel was actually bored with nothing better to do than watch the clear river water pass them by.  Neither Legolas nor Gimli would allow her to paddle, and they might as well been deaf to her protests.  She had a suspicion it had something to do with the sexism that seemed to run rampart around here.

At one point, Gimli asked her what the talk with Galadriel had been about, and Angel replied that she had only wanted to remind her to be careful, and to give her the gift.  The former seemed to conform to Gimli's view of Angel as a helpless girl, and the latter inevitably led to the dwarf's question of what the gift was. 

Angel showed him the amulet, careful to keep it at a distance so that the dwarf would not see the triquetra symbol.  She let him assume that it was only a necklace, as it was the safest way to avoid questions.

At night, they pulled the boat ashore and camped on the bank.  Frodo spoke to Aragorn and Sam of a creature he thought was following them, a green-eyed creature that had been paddling on a log in the river behind them all day.  Angel was lying not far from the three as they conversed in low undertones.  They had believed her fast asleep until she stirred when Aragorn mentioned Gollum.

"He's following us?" she asked tentatively.  "I thought we lost him in the mines."

"As did I," said Aragorn dryly.  "But it seems that he has not been shaken off our trail yet."  He looked down at Angel in the moonlight.  "Go to sleep.  We have a hard day in front of us."

_Not for someone who's not allowed to paddle_, Angel remembered thinking before sleep claimed her.

The same routine endured for several days.  River by day, shore by night.  Angel felt awkwardly out of place among the Fellowship, as the only female member of the expedition.  She spoke with the hobbits on some occasions, and they seemed to accept her, if nothing more than that.  She tried to stay clear of Aragorn and Legolas, for while they were polite to her, she knew that they were also the most wary.  If Gimli and Boromir had any misgivings about the girl, they were minimal and tolerated her at the least.

Often, she was left alone with her thoughts, and the others left her at that.  More than once she found herself thinking about Kendall and Adrian back at home.  She wondered at night if they were safe in their dormitories or out chasing demons, and hoped that they managed to hold out until she was able to get back to them.  Her concerns touched on Comet briefly as well, and she recoiled at the pitiful image of her pampered dog out alone lost somewhere in the cold streets.

After some days on the river, they came upon something that took their breath away.  It started out like any other day, with the three boats of Lórien rowing in the silent gloom, the two in front with the Men and hobbits, and the third with the elf, dwarf, and witch trailing slightly behind.

Angel stared tranquilly ahead, eyes open, though not registering what she was seeing.  Physically, she was in the boat in Anduin, but she had retreated into a small corner of her own mind, as she had been doing a lot of these days.  Then suddenly Legolas stopped rowing for a moment and went still.  Angel stirred from her half-trance to see why the elf had paused, but saw nothing.  She was ready to dismiss it and go back to her musings when she saw two dark shadows towering above the three boats.  Startled, she leaned forward slightly, straining her eyes and as the Fellowship got closer she nearly gasped aloud.  Two immense stone sculptures flanked either side of Anduin, regal figures of Men, holding an arm forward, palm outwards, as if warding what lay beyond. 

"What is that?" she asked Legolas softly, breathless in awe.

"The Argonath, the Pillars of Kings," he replied in equal tones.  He did not look back at her as he said it, and Angel could hardly blame him for it.  The Argonath was a sight to see.  "They are statues of the Kings Elendil and Isildur."

"Long have I desired to look upon the Kings of old," said Aragorn in the boat to their right.  "My kin."

As they drifted closer beneath the Argonath, the only thing Angel could do was stare in wonder at the sheer size and majesty of it.  It hurt her neck just to look up at it, but she could not tear her eyes from it nonetheless. 

This was who Aragorn was descended from?

Somewhere close to midday they stopped by the riverbank.  Angel helped unload the packs from the boats, eager to do _something_ after sitting around feeling useless for so many days.  After a while, everyone settled down, Gimli grumbling about the course they were going to take. 

"Where's Frodo?" came the unexpected question from Sam.

Angel looked around, and her heart skipped a beat when she saw that the hobbit in question was not there.  Neither, she noticed, was Boromir.

Uh-oh.

Kendall's prediction was already coming to pass.

Angel hurriedly excused herself, ignoring Aragorn's suspicious stares, and as soon as the Fellowship was out of sight she broke into a full run. 

Some time later she heard the faint sounds of someone shouting – Frodo.  Dodging a low-hanging branch, Angel came upon a small glade.

She entered the clearing just in time to see Boromir jump on Frodo, crying, "Give me the Ring!" 

"Boromir!"  Angel vaulted the remaining five feet between them and fell beside the Man and hobbit.  She grasped Boromir by the arms and tried to wrestle him off the frightened hobbit.  "Boromir, you don't know what you're doing.  Stop it!"

Boromir loosened his grip on Frodo only for a second to throw Angel aside in his fury.  The young witch landed on her side a few feet away, the air knocked out of her lungs.  She felt her a sharp flame crawl up the back of her head, and when she lifted it up, it was spinning.  She shook her head and when the dizziness cleared somewhat she caught a flash of gold before Frodo disappeared. 

Boromir froze and he scrambled to his feet.  He looked around wildly, his eyes filled with a crazed rage as he screamed, "I see your mind!  You will take the Ring to Sauron and betray us all!  Curse you!  Curse you and all the halflings!"  He started to run, and tripped.  When he struggled to his knees, he was sobbing.  "What have I done?" he moaned, looking up.  "Frodo!  Frodo, where are you?  I am sorry!"

Angel crawled over to him, still dazed and slightly disorientated.  Slow waves of throbbing pain coursed up and down the back of her head and the world before her eyes seemed to be spiraling.  She flopped down beside him and he noticed her, seemingly for the first time.  The Man shook his head in grief and gathered the girl into his arms.  "Are you alright?" he asked, sounding frantic.  "Did I hurt you?"

"No," she whispered back into his chest.  "Boromir."

He held her there for a moment, his arms wrapped protectively around her.  Finally, Angel pulled away and they both stood up. 

Suddenly, he stiffened.  Angel regarded him curiously and unconsciously inched closer to his side.  "What is it?"

"Orcs."  Boromir's voice was flat.  Several moments passed before Angel heard them as well.  Harsh grating cries mingled with the clashing of metal on metal.  His hand flew to the hilt of the sword at his belt and he drew it slowly.  "Run," he said to Angel.

"What?" asked Angel absently as she unsheathed one of the pair of katanas she kept strapped to her back.  In her other hand she gripped the athame that Kendall had given her, ready to use it if need be.

"RUN!"

Angel shook her head fiercely.  "No!  I can defend myself."

Boromir tried futilely to push her away, but the witch dug her heals in and refused to go anywhere.  "That's an order.  Go to Aragorn and the others."

There was no more time to argue as the first of the orcs appeared.  Boromir cursed and took on a fighting stance, the sword held out before him.  Angel hurriedly copied his position and she brushed her shoulder against his in a silent gesture of friendship.  Boromir managed to smile briefly and added a brief, "Be careful."

"You too," replied Angel roughly.  The orcs were no more than 30 paces away now, and covering the distance fast.  She heard a buzzing sound as a black blur zipped past her ear, clipping off several strands of her hair and missing both her and Boromir by mere millimeters. 

The first Uruk-hai that reached them was felled by a single stroke of Boromir's blade.  He took the second down as well, running his sword through the midsection and then slitting upwards up to chin, creating a wide laceration from naval to throat.  Angel slashed several times at another with the katana, and it was slain only by the third swipe.  Dark blood erupted from the gash, staining the blade and splattering the ground.  A third went down from the combined strokes of both girl and Man, and two others fell beneath their cold steel.  That was all Angel could keep track of.  After that, the orcs surrounded them and the two were overwhelmed.  Angel was using both katana and athame in the frenzy, not having time to distinguish between them and by then the only thought that occupied her mind was striking out at whatever orc flesh she could find.  She was not fighting in any organized manner, she had no plan of attack, for her in that moment, everything was reduced to the simplest of terms: survival.

She could no longer see Boromir; the orcs had swept them apart in the confusion.  She had no time to wonder what might have happened to him, where he was, because just then she was faced with an Uruk who had his scimitar swung over his shoulder, ready for a swing that would take her head off. 

Out of pure instinct, Angel flung out the arm holding the athame.  She reached for her magic desperately, gathered up what she had managed to collect in the split second she had to act, and channeled it through the knife.  She felt the power erupt from the blade and lash out toward the Uruk, and he exploded.  The concentration of energy caught him full force and it blew his body apart.  A blood-curdling screech tore from the orc as it felt its body being torn apart.  Its face contorted in the middle of a second scream before the body shattered like glass and left no traces where it had been.

The other orcs who had seen what happened froze in shock.  They had just seen one of their own be ripped to pieces and then vanish from existence.  She was quite sure that they had not seen how it happened.  Angel took advantage of the situation and quickly ran through several of them.  When the rest started coming back to their senses and realized what she was doing, they hissed and redoubled their efforts to bring her down.  Angel knew that she would not be able to keep going at this rate for long.  Once again, she concentrated her magic and guided it through the athame, this time aiming to freeze.  She waved the athame before her and the orcs stopped in their tracks as time stood still. 

They were still real enough, with snarls distorting their twisted features.  Yellow fangs and blood-red tongues leered at her, and their weapons were poised to kill.  It was as if someone had pressed the pause button in the middle of a movie, and that someone was her.

Angel started shoving through the melee of frozen orcs, careful to avoid the blades.  On her way out she slid her katana between as many ribs as she could, but the orcs she stabbed did not flinch, nor show any signs of pain.  When time resumed, they would either find themselves suddenly dead or with a stab wound they did not remember receiving.  By then, she would be safely out of their way, and to them it would look as if she had disappeared right before their eyes.  Then Angel heard something that froze her just as well as she had frozen the Uruk-hai.

A horn blast. 

The Horn of Gondor, she realized in horror.

Then another came, more urgent this time, its deep calls echoing.  The second call snapped her into action.  She sprinted toward the direction it came from.

Steeled as she was, knowing that it would happen, it still chilled her blood to realize that it was already happening.

She had warned him about this, _told _him to be careful.  _Dammit, why the hell didn't you listen to me? _thought Angel angrily as she came to a small glade not far from Parth Galen in time to see Boromir staggering as a second arrow struck him in the shoulder.  She saw Merry and Pippin screaming as orcs grabbed them roughly and left the glade empty except for her, the remaining Uruk, and Boromir.  The Uruk-hai drew back a third black-fletched shaft and took aim.  She struggled to get to him before he released, in that instant forgetting everything she had promised about not interfering.

In strength born of desperation, she lashed out with her magic.  She held the athame out before her and sent a wave of power towards the Uruk.  The arrow was never released from the bow.  It clacked against the bowstring and fell awkwardly to the ground.  The Uruk was flung backwards as if hit by a monster truck.  He was thrown nearly fifty feet across the glade and crashed into a sturdy tree trunk.  Before he had time to recuperate, Angel ran forward and summoned another upsurge of energy and directed it at the orc.  She slashed the athame before her, not once touching the orc, but all the same, gashes opened up on its body.  She was barely aware of what she was doing at the time, and afterwards looked back on it and wondered how she had done it.  The orc was screaming, raw cries that made the hair on the back of her neck stand on end.  By the time she was spent and left gasping for breath, the Uruk was a mass of torn flesh and deep lacerations.

Angel took three steps back, half stunned but mostly satisfied by what she had done.  She had cut the orc up quite thoroughly, but she did not take long to look.  She turned back just as Aragorn appeared and ran to Boromir's side.  She stayed back purposely to leave them room for what needed to be said.

Then she noticed something that had not been there before.

A tall figure stood to the side, robed in black.  His arms hung at his sides, and a cowl cast his features in darkness.  He did not seem evil, but he had a patient air about him, and seemed neither concerned nor disturbed by the dying Man not 20 feet before him.  A moderate breeze ruffled Angel's hair, but she saw that his cloaks did not shift at all.

His robes bothered her.  There were an impossible shade of black, black as the shadows. . . black as the night. . .

Black as death.

Her breath caught in her throat as she realized who this was.

The Angel of Death had come for Boromir.

"Farewell, Aragorn!  Go to Minas Tirith and save my people.  I have failed," Boromir was saying to Aragorn, but Angel was not listening.  She watched in paralyzed horror as Death strode over to Boromir, though Aragorn did not stir, nor do anything to acknowledge his presence.

She needed to say something, to persuade the Angel not to take him.  But her tongue did not seem to work right, and no words came.  _No!_ she pleaded silently.  _Don't take Boromir!  Please!  He does not deserve this!_

The Angel of Death lifted his head in her direction.  _It is time_, came his level answer.  The words filled her head, seemingly coming from everywhere and nowhere all at once. 

Angel shook her head, despite the knowledge that it was hopeless.  She knew all too well that The Angel of Death could not be stopped or fought, and he never gave on a claim, but that did not stop her from crying out again.  _Please!  He has done too much for this world to die!_

Death shook his head solemnly.  His voice carried no emotion, as empty as a shell, but it still resonated in her mind.  _Death comes for everyone.  _He stopped, and Angel got the impression that he was studying her.  _You are a witch, a Charmed One._

Angel nodded eagerly.  Death raised his hand over Boromir and Aragorn and froze them.  Boromir was immobilized in mid-breath, and Aragorn's stricken air stayed chiseled on his strong features.  Time stood still as Death's reply came.  _You would fight me, young witch, if you could.  I do not make exceptions, but perhaps I can convince you that it would be all for the better that I come for this Man._

Angel repeated his words over in her mind.  She looked over at the two Men, who showed no signs of waking.  Convince her that this was all for the best?  Even if it did nothing for Boromir, maybe she could see why this must be so.  She saw no harm in accepting, and so she nodded.

As soon as she did, a blinding light engulfed the witch, and everything around her as well.  She snapped her eyes closed and flung an arm over her eyes to shield herself, but even beneath the closed lids she could see the brightness, a burning flame of brilliance, swallowing her entire world.  She could feel herself being whisked away to another time and place, yet part of her, her corporeal self, stayed behind in the glade with Aragorn and Boromir.  She was no longer on the physical plane, she had been taken to the astral plane, the plane of spirits and energy.

After a few moments, she risked opening her eyes and saw that the light was gone, and her surroundings were unfamiliar.  No longer was she in the clearing, with trees flanking her on all sides.  Aragorn and Boromir had disappeared as well.  She was in a long hall of white stone, and at its end were two tall figures.  As she came closer, she recognized one of them, Boromir kneeling before the other, an older Man with graying hair and cold flinty eyes.

"What is your report?" asked the older Man.

"The halfling has left for Mordor, Father."

_This is his father?_ thought Angel, edging forward.  Strange, she thought, that neither paid her any attention.  She looked toward the Angel of Death, standing not far off to her side, his cloaked form melting into the shadows.  He returned her gaze, and she understood.  She was in a vision, and as invisible to all but herself.

_Watch_, Death commanded.

She did, turning back to Boromir and his father.  Now that she could observe him clearly, she could see the resemblances between father and son.  The strong features, confident manner, and the proud way of holding themselves were evident in both.

"The Ring is not beyond our grasp, we can still have it and save our people!" declared Boromir firmly.

Angel gasped out loud.  _I don't understand_, she thought.  _What is he saying?_

"Rise, my son," commanded the father, and Boromir climbed to his feet.  "You have done well.  I will send a dozen men with you in search of this halfling.  Find him, and take the Ring through whatever means need be. We shall use it against the Enemy."

Without warning, the scene changed, and Angel found herself in a different place once again.  This time she stood in the middle of a battlefield, the fighting raging on all around her.  She did not see Death this time, but she felt his presence everywhere.  The cries and clashing of weapons seemed strangely muted to her as she watched a figure standing on a lone hill.

It was one of the Nazgûl, one of those sickly foul servants of Mordor.  He stood carefully poised in a battle stance, wielding a long blade.  As she watched, he struck out before him, though Angel could not see what he was striking at.  She pushed through the crowd of fighting men, elves, and orcs toward it for a closer look.  As in the previous vision, no one took notice of her, not even sparing her a second glance.  She approached the Nazgûl, and stared as he continued to swing, thrust, and parry in a continuous cycle of deadly motion at an unseen foe.  Finally, the Nazgûl turn his blade sharply, and Angel saw another sword fall to the ground, seemingly out of nowhere.  He stepped two paces forward and swung the weapon.  There came a shrieking cry, and Angel caught a flash of gold falling to the ground.  A figure appeared kneeling on the grass, cradling a bloody hand.  Angel felt a hard knot in her chest as she recognized the Man.

Boromir.

Everything seemed to come to a stop at that moment.  The warriors, orcs, elves, and men alike stopped fighting to watch.

The Nazgûl bent down and retrieved the Ring.  With the accursed thing safely enclosed in his black hand, he laid his blade down on the vulnerable back of the bowed and defeated Man before him.  Boromir neither struggled nor resisted.  The Nazgûl lifted his sword and beckoned for the Man to rise.  He did.

Angel couldn't believe what she was seeing.  Who was this broken and wretched Man?  It was Boromir, she knew, but at the same time she could not make herself believe that Boromir had degenerated into this.

With a wound from a Nazgûl blade, Boromir would surely die.  If he survived. . .Angel shuddered at the thought.  If he lived, he would be worse than dead.  He would become a wraith like the Black Riders, lower than them, but still a soulless shell under the domination of Sauron.

Then it was all gone.  Angel saw no more as the radiance obscured everything once again.

_I don't understand!  _She screamed the thought at the Angel of Death.

_This is what might have passed, if I had not come for him._

_This is the future if Boromir lives?_ she demanded furiously. 

_Nothing is guaranteed, but the chance is there that this is how it will play out.  _The Angel of Death's voice was devoid of all sympathy or feeling, it was a flat answer. 

_But how can one Man change it all?_

_A butterfly flapping its wings on one side of the world can change the wind patterns on the other,_ answered Death cryptically.  _The future cannot be predicted.  Any change of events will affect the web of destiny, large or small.  What you have seen was but one possibility in a myriad of futures that could have been._

She knew that he was speaking the truth.  The Angel of Death did not lie.

Angel found herself back in the glade with the lake Parth Galen close by.  She was in the same place and position she had been in before the vision.  Death stood beside Aragorn and Boromir, for whom time had resumed again.

They exchanged last farewell words, and then Boromir fell silent.  The young witch watched as the Angel of Death bent down and laid one hand on Boromir's chest.  A translucent form lifted away from Boromir's body.  It straightened up and Angel saw that it was Boromir's spirit, faintly glowing.  He was in the astral plane, Angel knew, as she had been only a while ago.  He was smiling sadly as he looked down at his body and Aragorn.  Aragorn, of course, did not see him, but Boromir's ghost looked at Angel and his smile widened.

_Say hello to the Lady Kendall for me. _ He mouthed the words silently, and Angel nodded in perception.  _Tell her that I love her._

Angel felt a gentle smile lift the corners of her mouth and nodded again.  _She loves you as well, Boromir_, she replied.  A genuine smile graced his handsome face as he said his last word to Angel.  _Farewell._

_Farewell.  _The simple word ripped through her soul with terrible keenness.  It was too permanent. . . _Namárië.  _

Angel closed her eyes, and when she opened them again, both Boromir's ghost and the Angel of Death were gone.

She turned to Aragorn, numb with so many emotions roiling within her.  A thousand different feelings were pulling her down all at once that it lacked description.  At least, Boromir was in a better place, where there was no war and evil.  His soul would be sent back to earth, though in a different form, but he was not truly dead.  Somehow, that was little comfort at the moment.

Aragorn had his head bowed and his shoulders shook with silent grief.  Angel stopped less than five feet behind him and her vision blurred.  It was only when she felt the warm tears on her cheeks that she realized she was crying.  Before she knew it, she had lost all control and the tears came in a flood.

She was aware when Legolas and Gimli appeared at the glade, but she did not care at the moment that she had lost her composure in front of them.  She felt Legolas put his arms around her in solace, and she accepted him gratefully.

"Damn the orcs," she sobbed angrily.  "Damn this war," she said a bit softer.  She thought then of the Angel, his apathetic manner and his matter-of-fact way of dealing with death, and she felt a surge of  helpless rage.  "Damn the Angel of Death," she murmured.

* * *

Wahoo!  I FINALLYfinished that chappie!  And you know what else?  I'm proud of it too! nods happily 

There was a slight reference to Shakespeare's _Macbeth _in this chapter, for those of you who might have noticed it.  I included that because of the similarities between Boromir and Macbeth. 

Sorry to everyone who was hoping that Boromir would live, but on a positive note, he /will/ make another show before this is over!  hint hint 

Kendall: WAHOO!!!

Angel: walks in He's not coming back to life, you twit.  Gilluin would never do that, knowing her as the selfish, sadistic, evil. . .

Gilluin: walks in

Angel: . . .brainless, pigheaded, intellect-forsaken. . .

Gilliun: turns very red looks at audience members listening to the authoress being brutally bashed by her main character

Angel: . . .self-centered, egotistic. . .

Gilluin: turns to Harry Potter at her side Do you ever speak this way of J.K. Rowling?

Harry: No.  She's still angry at you for discontinuing the Legomance, isn't she? 

Gilluin: nods But she was stealing kisses with him backstage.  It was a punishment.

Harry: Would you like me to do something about her? takes out handy wand

Angel: . . .thick-skulled, yellow-bellied lowlife. . .

Gilluin: grins wickedly Do you know the Cruciatus Curse?

Harry: Of course, having had it used on me before how would I not? points wand at Angel  _Crucio!_

Angel: EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK!!!!!! starts rolling around in pain

Kendall: looks up at her authoress and Harry Potter She _was _asking for it.  stares at Harry Hey!  You're not supposed to be here!

Harry: blinks

Kendall: This story is LOTR and Charmed _only_!  Get out!  Out!  Out! OUT!

Harry: stares blankly, then looks at Gilluin Uh. . .

Kendall: waves arm and sends Harry crashing back into the HP universe telekinetically

Angel: stops screaming and gets up Whew

Gilluin: Get back onstage, both of you!

Angel and Kendall: scuttle off hurriedly, not wanting to incite the authoress' wrath any further

Ah well.  Just FYI, the next chapter may take a while because I have finals to study for.  Wish me luck guys!


	16. Ch 15: More Questions Than Answers

Hey guys!  Finals are FINALLY over, and summer vacation is on, which means more time to write!  While I will be outta town for about 2 weeks, things won't be quite as hectic as when there's school.

I'm extremely sry about the forgotten reviewer responses in the last chapter.  It was only until one reviewer mentioned it that I realized that I had totally forgotten it!  So, here are the belated responses, for both of the last two chappies.

Insanity-is-my-friend: Thank you!  Enjoy this chappie!

Ayrwen Tindomerel: thanks for your reviews and support!

Aria-chan: E-mail me back! I'd love to see what you think about the ideas!  Oh, and in answer of your question about getting an owl like Hedwig, plz see the end of the chappie.  I have a couple of questions, but I think I'll email them to you. Thank you lots!

Salem: Congrats on finishing your finals too!  Gotta hate those sleep-depriving exams.  I know I do.  And don't worry about that.  Just having you read each and every chapter and actually dropping off a review every time is enough for me.    The part with the Angel of Death was the easiest for me to write about, and it wuz my favorite too.  Hmm. . . I must be an evil 'lil child to like to write about Death. 

draco-hermione: lol. Thanks!  Sry about the long interval.

Jade-elf: blushes Thank you!  That was the most thoughtful review I've ever gotten, and I'm flattered that you think so.  Hehe, Adrian and Kendall's life back at college won't be any less hectic than Angel's in Middle-earth.

ElvenWitch13: Depressing, but it was my favorite chapter.  God, I had so many plot bunnies that chappie. gasp a SEQUEL you say?  Kool!  Where's it posted?!

In the Depp End: And one word to describe my updates: slow.  Thank you!

Soccer-Bitch: Thank you for coming back every chapter to read!  You are the best!  My writing certainly wasn't very good when I first started writing this, though.    But I'm glad that you think so!

Nikki: Wow, chill. . .all shall be revealed in good time.  But I can tell you now that it won't be Aragorn.  He's too old for her, and besides, he belongs to Arwen.  I agree, Angel was quite an unrealistic character when I first started this fic.  When I reread it, I could see how much of a Mary-Sue she was, and I tried to go back and cut some of that out.  That last chappie was my best one yet I think.  Even tho it took like forever.

Lady Light: Thank ya lots!  I'll try to keep them coming fast.

Katy: Wow, you set aside that much time to review?  Thank you, it's great to know that someone would do that.

Crecy: Don't worry, I can make you into a stereotypical cheerleader, with the valley girl accent and preppy pom-poms and skirts.  Lol, just j/k-ing.  No, nothing will ever get me to convert this back into a Legomance.  There are just too many of those out there, and I want mine to be different. 

Alandra: Lol, I got you hooked on Charmed!  Oh, too bad, I've been missing so many nowadays.  .  Thank you, I'm blushing!  Imagery/language was difficult for me at first, but I'm starting to like it now.  Chapter 13 was a nightmare to write, but ch. 14 was a breeze.  Well, see you in the next chappie!

* * *

It was three in the morning when Richard Asta climbed out of bed on the second floor of his old-fashioned Victorian house to use the restroom.  Richard Asta was a man in his late sixties, with more gray in his hair than brown.  The man walked with a noticeable limp in his left hip from rheumatism, but otherwise got around well considering his age and condition.  He was a history teacher at New York University, who always said that he was retiring one of these days but never got around to it.

This particular night started out no different than any other.  The students at the college he taught at would be back from the Thanksgiving Break in two days, and he intended on getting his rest while he could.  When he woke, he got up quietly, so as not to wake his wife and shuffled slowly to the bathroom two rooms over. 

He turned no lights on, as he had memorized the feel of the walls and hallways by touch and there was really no need for illumination.  Unbeknownst to him was a dark figure crouching in the shadows, waiting for the right moment.

Richard Asta neared a long winding staircase as he limped toward the bathroom, only a few feet away now.

The figure in the shadows held up a hand and gave a none too gentle telekinetic push.

The old senior never saw what hit him.  He felt a strange force nudging him toward the head of the stairs, like a solid wall closing in on him.  He gasped sharply as his bad leg landed on the second step and gave way.  Richard Asta tumbled down the flight of steps.  His head made contact with a metal banister with a loud _crack_ and he fell in a crumpled heap at the foot of the stairs.

The demon straightened up and shimmered beside the old man.  He reached out a hand and laid it on Richard Asta's shoulder.  The senior was still alive, but only by a thread. 

The demon closed his eyes reached out with his magic, searching for life.  He probed for only a moment before he found what he was looking for.  A thin strand, throbbing weakly – Richard Asta's lifeline.  The demon held it, feeling the warm pulsing of a soul clinging on to the living world by only a thread.  He fondled it wistfully, thinking how easy it would be to snap it, but he did not.  Instead, he lowered his head to his victim's mouth.  Richard Asta did not respond as the demon clamped his mouth over his.

The demon extracted the life of the old man through his mouth, feeling himself shudder with delight as he consumed his soul.  The spirit struggled feebly for a second, and the body convulsed violently, but the demon held it down firmly with his telekinesis until it went limp.

Finally he rose to his feet, his thin lips curling into a twisted grin as he felt the warmth of a soul being extinguished to feed him.  His task complete, he shimmered out of the house, leaving the body of Richard Asta for his wife to find in the morning.

Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli carried Boromir to the shore of the river Anduin.  They emptied out one of the boats and laid the departed warrior in it, with his folded cloak from Lórien beneath his head.  They placed the broken sword in his hands upon his chest and the cloven Horn of Gondor at his feet.

By then Angel had nearly regained her self-control and only the silent tears laid evidence to what she was feeling.  Before they released the funeral boat, she bent over and kissed him on the cheek with a murmured, "Blessed be."

They watched as the boat disappeared over the Falls of Rauros, and with it went a departed friend.  Angel felt the loss at heart.  In the short time in which she had known him, she had developed an admiration of Boromir. 

_His soul will be reincarnated_, she reminded herself.  _I wonder if his future life is being lived right now at the present.  _Then came another thought, one that sent tingles of excitement down her spine.  _I wonder if I know him in his future life._  She dismissed the idea and mentally shook herself as soon as she thought of it.  _Get real, Angelyn.  What are the chances of that happening?_

Frodo had left for Mordor, and Sam had gone with him.  Boromir was dead, Merry and Pippin were taken by orcs.  Aragorn, Gimli, and Legolas were all that were left of the Fellowship. 

And then there was her.  Angel had never felt more of a failure than she did right now.  Provided, Boromir's death was something that was meant to happen, unavoidable even, but what about the rest?  Were Merry and Pippin supposed to be captured?  And what about Frodo and Sam?  Had fate intended them to leave in such a manner?  Or had her presence somehow thrown everything off course?  _Was this how everything was supposed to play out?_ she wondered bleakly.  _I don't see how we're going to win the war at this rate._

They resolved to go after Merry and Pippin, since Frodo and Sam were well beyond their reach now.  At evening, they left behind everything that would slow them down in their chase, taking only their weapons and the food and _lembas _given to them by the Galadhrim.  Angel took only her twin katanas, the spare set of clothes, and the athame, though it was hell to part with everything else she had brought back from the modern age.

As they trekked eastwards, the forest receded from view and the sharp jagged terrain of Emyn Muil stretched out before them.  They walked in tense silence, with only a word here or there when Angel could not keep up.  They walked through the night, and into the morning hours before dawn.  It took only four hours before Angel started feeling the first onset of fatigue.  She had been slightly behind for most of the trip, but now she lagged behind nearly twenty paces.  She knelt down and clutched her stomach in an attempt to catch her breath.

She felt a light hand on her shoulder and looked up through curtains of dark hair.  Legolas was standing over her, Gimli and Aragorn had stopped as well and were watching.  Angel brushed his hand away impatiently.  "I'm fine.  Go on, I'll catch up."

Even so, Legolas helped her to her feet with a few words of reassurance.  Angel, ashamed of herself for hindering the Company, caught up to where Aragorn and Gimli were waiting, to show that she was capable of going on.

Aragorn flashed her a sympathetic look.  "My apologies, Angelyn, but this cannot be helped."

Angel blushed furiously.  "I know.  I'm sorry for slowing you down, Aragorn.  I'll try to keep up."  _My purpose here is to ward them against Belthazor. . .and yet all I've succeeded in doing so far is getting in the way.  _Damn.  She half-hoped that Belthazor would make a move soon, just for a chance to prove herself. 

In a cool moment before dawn, Aragorn allowed them a brief rest.  The four people who were all that was left of the Fellowship took the chance to refresh themselves before going on.

Angel nibbled on some _lembas_, but her appetite wasn't into it.

Aragorn looked down at Angelyn huddled slightly apart from the others.  What good had Gandalf seen in brining her along?  Aragorn was starting to have doubts, and wavered between his own better judgment and his trust in Gandalf.  And yet the Lady Galadriel had not questioned her presence in the Fellowship either.  Aragorn had a distinct feeling that both Mithrandir and the Lady of the Golden Woods knew something about Angel that he didn't.

Something that would aid the Fellowship?  In truth, he did not see what.  She had no skill with weaponry, and she slowed them down when they were in need of haste.  She had gone missing from Lórien for two days, then suddenly reappeared without offering any explanation.  Perhaps Haldir was right.  Maybe they should have left her behind in Lórien.

But something did not add up.  She was hiding a secret, that much was obvious.  And if it was something that would affect the Fellowship, he needed to now about it.  And the Uruk-hai. . .

He had seen the body of the Uruk who had slain Boromir.  He had stayed back, only for a few moments, to inspect the dead orc.  He remembered the condition of the body clearly, and the viciousness with which it had been torn apart disturbed him.

_It was little more than a mound of torn carnage, wreathed with ribbons of shredded flesh and caked with its own dark blood.  Deep gouges scored the body, in many places, splintered bone and entrails were clearly visible.  Solidifying blood dribbled like molasses from gashes, congealing on the forest floor.  Metallic green flies swarmed furiously around the gore, attracted by the scent of spilt blood. . ._

_The orc's bow and arrow lay discarded nearly fifty feet away, as if forgotten or thrown away._

Aragorn frowned at the memory.  A question had been plaguing him ever since they had left the forest: Who had slain the Uruk-hai?

Boromir?  No, that was highly unlikely.  The Man of Gondor and the Uruk had been on nearly opposite ends of the glade when Aragorn found them.  It was near impossible for Boromir to have inflicted such damage at a distance, especially when he had already taken two arrows.  That left only one other possibility. 

Aragorn studied Angelyn with her back to him.  She had been there, not two paces from the orc when Aragorn arrived.  She had wielding only her katana and a dagger too dull to be of any use.  But even then, nothing made sense.  How could her short katana have inflicted such deep wounds?  She was unscathed; surely the orc would not have gone down without a fight.  Nor could Aragorn imagine her attacking any living being, be it orc or no, with the unchecked ruthlessness that the wounds suggested.

In any case, he would have to keep an eye on her until his questions were answered.

Adrian stood in the doorway of the entrance of the building, watching the forlorn skies with cool hazel eyes.  It was his first day back on the campus of the University of New York, and the weather didn't seem to agree with his arrival at all.  The light drizzle that had endured for most of the morning had progressed into a heavy torrent of half-frozen rain and sleet. 

It was mid-afternoon, though no sun filtered through the thunderclouds to justify the fact.  He was waiting for Dakota to come back with his things so that they could walk to the history wing together, the last of their afternoon classes for that day.

He let the stinging wind whip around his face, safely beneath the roof ledge so that rain could not reach him here.  He looked over his shoulder to look at the mob of college students milling about in the hallways and coming in and out of the entrance door that he held open, half frozen in the harsh weather.

Finally, he spotted Dakota amongst the crowd, books and folders stuffed into a canvas book bag slung over his shoulder.  Dakota clapped him semi-roughly on the back in manner of greeting between men.  (A/N: Sorry, I just had to include that.  I find it weirdly funny when guys punch e/o just to say hi.  Don't ask why. )

They stepped out from the building out into the pelting ice rain.  Pebble-sized hail crunched beneath their shoes as they moved toward the history wing.

Chances at conversation were dashed by the wind drowning out their voices.

While the history wing was not far, both Adrian and Dakota were thoroughly wet by the time they were inside.  They headed off towards their classroom, talking animatedly about basketball when Dakota suddenly dropped out of the conversation.

Kendall was coming down the hall in the opposite direction with Jasmine and Crecy, chatting about the cutest actors, or whatever topics things girls talked about.  Dakota watched Kendall, biting his lip unconsciously with a look in his eyes that was more than friendship.

It didn't take Kendall long to notice Dakota and Adrian.  She flashed Dakota a quick smile that no one noticed except for Crecy, and Jasmine.  Crecy and Jasmine dissolved into giggles and all three disappeared into the crowd of students.

Dakota tried to watch her further, but Adrian gave him an elbow in the ribs which brought him back to reality. 

"What?" he mumbled, flushed from Kendall's carefully aimed smile.

Adrian rolled his eyes.  As amusing as it was, sometimes watching his best friend moon over his sister all the time did get irritating.  "Unless you _want _everyone to know how you feel, I'd say you should stop being so obvious."

"It's obvious?"

"To the girls it is," he answered, referring to Kendall's friends.

"How?"

Adrian shrugged.  "They're girls.  They know stuff like this when they see it."

They took their seats in the history room a few moments later, just as the bell rang.

Adrian sat down in the third row, fourth chair over with Dakota two rows behind him.  He looked up to see that Professor Asta was not at his desk.  Strange. . .he always made a point on being punctual.

A tall man in his mid-forties strode into the room, carrying a briefcase and wearing a tidy black suit.  He was thin for the most part, except for around the waistline, and resembled very much like a rat, with a long narrow face, large ears, and small beady black eyes.  He set the briefcase down and turned to the class.

"My name is Professor Donald Finnely, and I will be your Professor for the remainder of the year," he said, in a shrill voice that seemed almost feminine but very fitting for his rat like appearance.

Adrian cocked an eyebrow.  This man was a Professor?  He looked more like one of the geeks who attracted bullies like flies to honey.

"Where's Professor Asta?" someone called out from his seat.

Professor Finnely fixed him with an icy stare.  "Unfortunately, Professor Asta has passed away over the vacation, and I am his replacement."

Adrian nearly fell out of his seat at the statement.  Asta was dead?  Sure he was old and frail, but _dead_?  He noticed with a pang of disgust how impassively this man delivered the news and scowled irritably.

"Professor Asta's dead?" another student blurted out.

"Yes, young man, and if you don't believe me, you may leave this room and ask the headmaster yourself."  Finnely snapped, his tone of voice making it clear that the issue was not to be pursued any farther.  "Now – " He took out a book.  "Turn to chapter seventeen and we'll begin our lecture, shall we?"

Obediently, the class complied, though a buzz of whispers at this last bit of news rose.

"Class, taking out your books does not involve talking," barked Finnely sharply.  The effects of a rat voice barking sounded very much like car brakes screeching to a stop.

Adrian gritted his teeth.  _Damn, what's _his _problem?_  Several students around him jumped, and he winced as he realized that he had unconsciously said the comment telepathically.  He caught a brunette girl named Elise giving him a sideways look, and turned away.  He really needed to get his new telepathy power under control.

Finnely began reading from the textbook as the students began scribbling down notes and outlines.  "Ronald Reagan took office in 1981, firmly believing that the Soviet Union was 'the focus of evil in the modern world.'  He called on Americans to 'oppose it with all our might.'  Reagan also took a tough anticommunist stand in Latin America. . ."

Adrian found his attention wavering as the lecture went on.  His thoughts went elsewhere as he filtered Finnely's squeaky voice out of his mind.  What was Angel doing, right this moment?  Or more appropriately, what was she doing a few thousand years ago?  Adrian imagined her walking with a bunch of scruffy warriors carrying sheathed broadswords and battle-weathered faces, decidedly out of place.  He nearly laughed at the image of his sister in such a position.

He found himself back in reality when a redhead boy named Aaron sitting beside him jabbed him sharply in the arm with a ruler.

"What?" he asked irritably.

"You'd better quit smiling like that," Aaron advised seriously.  "Finnely doesn't look like the type of guy who tolerates daydreaming students in his class."

Adrian rolled his eyes mentally, but took the advice.  Aaron was a serious guy who regarded rules like Moses did the Ten Commandments, but this time, he had a point. 

Finnely was still reading from the textbook, but was shooting dirty looks in his direction, and his voice was sharp edged.  As their eyes locked, Adrian noticed something.  Finnely. . .there was something strange about him. . .something out of place.  Adrian couldn't quite pinpoint what, but something felt different about him, and it was not the ratty voice.  Trying to put his finger on it was like trying to catch shadows; it simply eluded his grasp.  Then it was gone, as suddenly as it had appeared.

Perhaps he had imagined it?

When the bell rang, the students gathered up their things and exited the door in twos and threes, talking animatedly.  Professor Donald Finnely watched the student named Adrian Halliwell leave with another – a tall handsome guy with dark hair and a strong build.  Finnely consulted the computer's student profiles and read the name corresponding to the matching picture.  His name was Dakota Marshall Wolfe.

Satisfied, Donald Finnely left the empty classroom.  After nearly ten minutes of navigating through the halls and restraining himself from cursing at every student who blocked his path or stepped on his toes, Finnely emerged outside onto the campus grounds.  He retreated to the back alleyway of the main building, which was vacant, with the exception of some automobiles and the college dumpsters.  It was good enough to serve his needs.  He waited for several minutes.  If he remembered his schedule correctly, his next class was an evening one, and so he had no reason to worry about being late for the session.  If not. . .well, the little brats could wait.

He paced back and forth for several more minutes before he felt the air shifting.  Finnely stopped and watched tentatively.  The air rippled like a dessert mirage as a being appeared in the back alleyway.

Finnely knelt down on one knee and bowed his head respectfully before the other figure.  "My Lord Belthazor."

* * *

gasp OMG, their history professor is. . .is. . .gulp EVIL!!!  And you thought YOUR teachers were evil. 

Harry Potter: Oh, well you haven't had Snape as a teacher.  How's that for evil?

Kendall: frowns  I thought I took care of you last time. holds up hands again to blast Harry out of our Charmed/LOTR fandoms

Harry: laughs nervously and starts backing off Okay, okay, I'm going!  Nice witch.  Niiiiiiiiice witch.

Roos: enters the stage No, wait Harry!  Gilluin said you might get me an owl like Hedwig!

Harry: Well, I guess it wouldn't hurt. . .owl magically comes swooping down

Roos: cool! holds out her hand and the owl lands on it

Kendall: glares And who are _you_?  You're not anyone from either Charmed or LOTR.  Get OUT of our fandoms!

Gilluin: gasps in shock at Kendall's behavior Kendall!  Is that any way to treat the authoress' muse?

Kendall: Our muse?  runs over and starts shaking Roos's hand enthusiastically  It's a pleasure to meet you!  Is it true that you have saved our authoress from writer's block time and time again?

Roos: _Ahem_, yes I am the muse. starts to get really annoyed Now, if you'll let go of my hand. . .

Kendall: takes out a pen and notebook Can I have your autograph? giggles like a fangirl

Roos: starting to feel disturbed Uh. . .

Gilluin: Okay, guys, we'll go backstage now. herds everyone backstage and draws the curtains closed peeks out between the curtains  So, guys, see you next chapter! disappears behind stage and the audience hears her talking So Roos, what are you gonna name that owl?

Kendall: Cool!  I have a personal autograph from our _muse_!

You can practically hear Roos's eyes rolling.


	17. Ch 16: Why are there wolves everywhere?

All Souls Night by Loreena Mckennitt

Hey guys! I'm back from camp. If you want to know, I had fun (except for the part were I decided to be stupid and stepped into a swarm of bees), but now that its over, I'm back on track with my story. Once again, I'm sorry it took so long to update, but you guys were forewarned about that.

Reviewer Responses:

Nikki: Sry this one took so long. I honestly couldn't help it! But thank you for not giving up on me!

ElvenWitch13: Thank you for your support and faith in me. It really helped! Seriously To answer your question, yes, I did read the Silmarillion. It was so sad! [sniff]

Mellon123: Hey Whitney. I'll email you when I get the chance.

Crecy: Dakota is about to play a major role in this story! Keep your eye out for him!

Lysia1982: Thank you! Camp was lots of fun!

Tolkienesque: heehee [grins sheepishly] Well, I finally gotten around to updating.

Salem: Hmm. . .so you want the Angel of Death to make another appearance, huh? Lemme see if I can work that out for you. . . [evil grin]

Insanity-is-my-friend: I'm starting to like cliffhangers. . . . BTW, I love your penname.

Kalika55: don't worry, the Fellowship will definitely find out about Angel's 'secret' eventually. I'm looking forward to writing about it.

Aria-chan: Thank you, my muse. BTW, thank you for the 'presents' via email. I really liked them, esp. the picture of Sesshie! He's soooo cute! [huggles]

Soccer-Bitch: Kick ass, huh? Read on!

Chapter 16: "Where are there wolves everywhere?"

"Your report?" asked Belthazor brusquely.

"I have had a chance to watch the eldest Charmed One, the one called Adrian. As for the other, I have not seen her yet."

Belthazor looked down on Finnely's rat-like features and curled his lip in contempt. "Change out of your human disguise. It revolts me."

Finnely nodded obediently and his features began shifting. When he was done, the beady black eyes had turned red and his skin was pale and sallow. He straightened up.

Belthazor allowed himself an inward smirk. As lowly as they were, shapeshifter demons had their uses. "And does he suspect anything?"

"The death of the human Richard Asta seemed to come as a bit of a shock, but no, the witch does not suspect."

Richard Asta's death had been set up to make it look as though it had been an accident. Belthazor had to admit, the Prowler demon sent to kill him had done a decent job. "Well? What have you learned?"

"The eldest Charmed One seems to be especially close to one named Dakota Wolfe, although more watching is needed to confirm this. I shall keep a close eye on the other witch as well."

"Good. Keep track of those who seem closest to the witches, and give me their names." Belthazor stopped as another thought came to him. "I don't suppose a demon like you would understand, but there are certain relationships other than friendship tat can be used to our advantage."

"What would that be, my Lord?"

"Love." Belthazor said the word aloud, remembering the bliss when he had felt that towards another. He shook his head angrily. But Phoebe Halliwell had rejected him. No matter what he did, she could never see him as anything but a demon. Love had caused him more pain than joy. "Love makes people behave strangely. The Charmed Ones are no different. Find out who the witches felt that towards. They would be called 'girlfriend' or 'boyfriend.' Taking them may be even more effective than taking those who share a mere friendship."

Finnely raised an eyebrow at this strange concept of 'love.' He was not sure what it was, but Belthazor was a high-ranking demon and very knowledgeable. He knew what he was talking about. "Yes, my Lord." Finnely bowed one last time before reverting back to his human form and Belthazor dismissed him.

Once he was out of sight, Belthazor spoke a single word. "Gerym."

The air behind him shifted as another demon shimmered in. Belthazor did not deign to turn and face him as the assassin demon said, "My Lordship calls?"

"I have an assignment for you." Always in control, Belthazor erased all traces of emotion from his voice. "I would assume that you are aware of the fact tat there are only two Charmed Ones in this realm?"

"Yes, I do. It has been the talk of the Underworld, my Lord."

"The third witch is alone and vulnerable, without the protection of her Whitelighter and the other Charmed Ones. I have neither he time nor interest to deal with her. You will go to the realm she resides in and eliminate the witch." Belthazor's demeanor was one of cold authority, one that did not tolerate failure. "Do not fail me. Take my word, you would much rather die at the witch's hands than face my wrath." _Never mind_, thought Belthazor. _He will die one way or another._

"Understood, my Lord." Gerym bowed respectfully and shimmered.

Belthazor waited only a moment before doing the same to follow the assassin demon on his suicide mission.

Legolas watched the girl tentatively. Sweat beaded on her brow, and her breathing was labored. The words she murmured in her sleep were barely audible, even to his elven ears.

He looked about him. Gimli and Aragorn slept fitfully. Tree days had passed since the breaking of the Fellowship, and they had covered a lot of ground. Shortly before noon that day, they had reached the downs.

A short gasp brought Legolas's attention back to Angel.

"NECRON!"

Legolas winced as the word rang loud and clear through the frosty silence. He wondered if he should wake her, but decided against it. It was about time they got some answers about this girl.

_Angel watched in despair as Necron's incinerating attack engulfed her parents. Her parents. . . who didn't even have a chance to fight back. Disbelief melted away to make room for a hot surge of anger. She clenched her fist s in unbridled fury. How could this vile creature do this? He mother was a Charmed One, one of the most powerful witches in history. How could this monster take away her mother and father, just like that?  
  
_

_"NECRON!"__ she screamed, raising her hand to unleash her wrath upon him._

_Then the scene changed._

_She was running, running down a narrow stone walkway over a fathomless abyss. She could hear the ragged panting of others around her, driven by desperation._

_The place was dark, impenetrable blackness lightened only by the fire of some nameless pursuer behind them, a creature of shadow and flame. . ._

_"You cannot pass!"_

_Angel paused to look over her shoulder. A figure coaked in grey and holding a staff and briht sword stood at the far ed of the bridge, defying a monster of darkness and crackling fire._

_The staff smashed down, and a flare of blinding light lit up the cavern._

_The bridge fell away where the staff had struck, carrying the monster with it._

_The old man began to walk away, then suddenly was dragged to the bridge's edge._

_He was going to fall, she knew. He would fall, just like her parents had, and she could do nothing about it._

_No._

_This time, she could. She held her arm up to freeze him, but just then her surroundings shifted again._

_This time she was in a forest, running toward the calls of a great horn. She would not fail this time, she told herself. Not this time. _

_Then she found herself in a glade. Dead orcs littered the area; at its center was a tall warrior already with two shafts in him._

_She quickly located the archer. He already had a third arrow notched to the string, lips curled in a grim sneer. _

_She prepared to explode him, but too late. . .the arrow, guided by the hand of the Devil, struck the warrior. He stumbled._

_Failed.__ Another failure._

_Then the Angel of Death was there, in his impossibly black robes, here to carry his soul to the afterlife._

_"No!" She looked at Boromir tearfully. Her vision blurred, and then she froze. Boromir's hair. . . it was dark. Shorter too, and his eyes were. . .brown? He looked very much like one of __Adrian__'s friends from college. . .Dakota. . .what was Dakota doing here?_

_Wait._was_ it Dakota? No. . .it was Boromir. . .then, why did he look so much like Dakota?_

_She wiped away the tears. No. . .most definitely Boromir. She had only seen wrong._

Angel opened her eyes tentatively. Legolas was pacing back and forth, and the other two were asleep. The dream slipped away into her subconscious, elusive as always.

Why had she awoken? Angle felt something warm against her breastbone. Slowly, she drew out the teardrop stone on the chain. It was warm to the touch, and looked as though it was giving off a faint glow.

She sat up in alarm, earning a curious look from Legolas. What did this mean? Galadriel had never told her what it meant if the amulet turned warm, but Angel had a good idea.

She looked around the downs. The eerie shadows cast by the hillocks seemed a very appropriate setting for a demon to lurk.

On no. what if it was Belthazor again? Would he attack her right in front of Aragorn and the others? That would expose her for sure, something she could not risk.

"I'll be right back," she told Legolas as she to her feet.

Legolas stopped, a slight frown crossing his features. "It is dangerous to wander out here alone at night."

"I won't go far," Angel said, picking up her katanas and athame and leaving before Legolas could protest further.

Belthazor was noiseless as he followed Gerym the assassin demon. The shadows of the night concealed him, and with practiced stealth, the demon Lord trailed germ like a ghost.

After the disastrous episode that had taken place in the strange forest of golden-leaved trees, the first thing he had determined was that he needed to know the full extent of the witch's powers. Only then could he plot another serious attack.

That was why this fool of a demon Gerym had been assigned this task. Belthazor needed someone to attack the witch, fore her to fight back and reveal what new abilities she had gained after vanquishing the Rowe warlocks. If Gerym somehow survived, Belthazor would dispose of him. The assassin demon would have outlived his use by then.

Angelyn looked over her shoulder and saw Legolas watching her questioningly. She could see that he was debating whether or not he should follow. She scowled. It wasn't that she was ungrateful for his concern, but she simply didn't have time for this! She needed to be as far away as possible from them when the demon showed up. She broke into a full run, not stopping until a good few minutes later. There was no sign of Legolas, and she doubted that he had followed.

She was on the leeward side of one of the larger hills and stopped for a moment to catch her breath. Reaching to her neck, Angel drew out the amulet. The triquetra symbol was still glowing dully, but then it suddenly flared to life.

Startled, Angel dropped it. The sound of pebbles shifting prompted her to turn around, where she found herself staring at an energy ball flying towards her.

But then, it sizzled out before reaching her. Angel blinked in surprise, and then looked down at the amulet. It had warded her against the attack.

A loud curse brought her attention back to the demon who had attacked her.

The first thing she noticed was that it wasn't Belthazor. She wasn't sure what typed of demon it was, but that didn't matter at the moment.

With her right hand, she held the athame, just in case her powers got out of control. In her left, Angel formed a fireball, bigger than her usual ones so as to intimidate this demon.

"Don't try me, demon," she said.

"The demon cocked his head to one side and growled mockingly, "Is little witch afraid of me?"

No, Angel was almost glad for someone to vent her energy and frustration on. She needed to prove, if to no one else then to herself, that she was capable of the job assigned to her. Out of the corner of her eye, she nothing something. . . different about her fireball. However, she did not avert her gaze from the demon, lest he took the distraction as a chance to attack her.

She took the athame and used it to direct the fireball at him. Gerym shimmered out of the way and reappeared some twenty or so feet away to her right. Angel turned, but a violent energy blast from his hand knocked her flat. Gerym took the opportunity to shimmer again. Still dazed, Angel looked around frantically for the demon. The next thing she knew, he had materialized about five feet in front of her. He charged forward, and energy ball forming in one hand, and suddenly stopped as if he had crashed into an invisible barrier.

The amulet had saved her again.

Angel scrambled to her feet, clutching the athame and holding it out in front of her. She swiped the dull blade diagonally in front of her to explode him, but once again the demon shimmered out of danger. Instead, the small hill he had been standing in front of blew up in a shower of sand and rock. Angel shielded herself by throwing up her arms over her face.

When the demon reappeared, he was standing again.

Angel gritted her teeth. "Stay still so that I can vanquish you!"

Gerym laughed, which only made her angrier. He cast an energy ball at her, but she froze him before she could shimmer again and reflected the sizzling blue-white ball. On impact, the demon erupted into flames and disappeared in a wisp of smoke.

For a moment, Angel was silent, almost waiting for the demon to reappear again somewhere. Then she wiped her sweaty forehead with the sleeve of her shirt. For the first time in a long while she felt somewhat better. Belthazor had sent a demon to threaten the fellowship, and she had successfully taken care of him. She put her athame away and began to return to Aragorn and the others.

A figure cloaked in shadows stood up unnoticed as she left. Belthazor had gained useful information, thanks to Gerym. The witch had an amulet. He would have to somehow separate that from her if he wanted to vanquish her. He had also noticed the same knife she used to control her powers – a ceremonial blade called an athame. And lastly, one of her newfound abilities was the reflection of attacks. Belthazor shimmered away, satisfied with what he had learned.

Angel had to admit that she was proud of herself. Vanquishing the demon felt good, but it was more the knowledge that she wasn't as useless as she had feared. She relived the fight in her mind, then remembered her fireball. It had felt different. It wasn't the fact that it was larger than usual, but it had felt. . .hotter.

She conjured the flame again, (holding the athame for safety, of course) and almost immediately saw the difference. The color of the flame wasn't the same. It was mostly silvery white, fringed with blue, a color far unlike her usual red-orange. She did not ever recall ever being able to invoke a blue flame before, but as she understood it, it was a sign that her power was progressing quite nicely. She smiled. _Come on Belthazor. Send me your best and let me try this on them_, she challenged silently before retreating the fireball.

On a foggy Friday morning, Kendall was trudging to class with Jasmine, more commonly known as Jazz. They were taking a path seldom used by the students, a nature walk in the forest and away from traffic.

The light mist shrouded the college campus with wisps of haze. Although not thick enough to severely obscure vision, it did give the university grounds an eerie feel to it.

"So, Kendall."

Kendall looked up from the ground to Jazz. "Huh?"

"You know what Dakota thinks about you."

"You know what Dakota thinks about you."

"Yeah. . ." Kendall felt the heat rise on her face. She knew very well what Dakota felt about her, even without her Empathy. And she knew that her own feelings were, to say the least, mutual.

Jazz studied her friend's face carefully for traces of giveaway clues. "What are you going to do about it?"

"What do you mean?" asked Kendall, although it was quite clear what Jazz meant.

Jazz rolled her eyes expressively. "You know what I'm talking about. Since he's not about to make a move anytime soon, you should. Ask him to see a movie together or something."

"But I don't – "

"And don't tell me you don't like him."

Kendall stared at Jazz. It was a bit ironic, being an Empath and having someone else tell her how she felt. "But Jazz, he's my brother's best friend!"

"And what's nice about that is that you can get Adrian to help you out."

"Hmm. . ." Kendall did not have an answer to that. She averted her gaze to study some of the surrounding scenery. Tendrils of mist wreathed the trees like cobwebs, garlanded the grass like ribbons of cloud. Kendall did not notice as she drifted off into a trance staring at the shrouded forest. Two golden orbs watched her unblinkingly from the depths of the trees.

Kendall gave a start and peered back curiously. She could make out a vague outline. . .like a dog, but bigger.

Then she noticed another one not ten feet to her left, and two others standing side by side further away, all of them staring at her with almost luminous amber eyes. Kendall moved closer to Jazz, one hand unconsciously reaching into the pocket of her jeans where the charm was.

"Why are there wolves everywhere?" whispered Jazz.

Kendall felt her friend's uneasiness through her Empathy.

"I don't know." Slowly, she withdrew the hand from her pocket. The charm was useful only against demons, but was this normal wolf behavior?

Suddenly, Jazz broke into a sprint. Kendall felt a sharp tug on her hand and her instant reaction was to follow. The trees merged into a green blur as the pair bounded across the trail. Just as her legs began to ache, they came out of the forest and were standing before the glass doors of the Biotechnology building.

Kendall felt the cold blast of air-conditioning as they pushed through the doors. While they sopped to catch their breath, Kendall turned to Jazz.

"Why – did you – do – that?" she asked between gasps.

Her best friend looked at her apologetically. "Sorry, Kendall. I guess I just kinda freaked. I mean, the way those wolves were staring at us. . .it was. . .unnatural, you know what I mean?"

Kendall nodded. "It _was_ kinda creepy. Next time, we don't take that shortcut again." She looked down at her watch. Class was due to start in less than two minutes. "C'mon. We'd better get to class now."

I'm finally done with that one! Oh, btw you guys, listen to this:

"The fairy tale gave the writer free rein to exploit his 'universe-creating imagination."

-"Sophie's World"

The philosophers in this book said that writers are essentially God in the stories that they create. Makes sense, doesn't it? We all-powerful writers can make the story go whichever way we want. We make the characters say, act, and believe what we want them to, and we can turn the tides with a single stroke of the pen.

Oh sorry, I slipped into a 'philosophical' mood there.

But anyway. . .[turns toward all the characters in her fanfiction]

Me (Gilluin): All of you pathetic mortals, bow down before me!! [Mwaaaaah-haaaaaa-haaa-ha!]

Elrond, Arwen, Haldir, Legoals, Galadriel, and every other elf: _Mortals?_

Gilluin: Okay, fine. What I meant was: All of you pathic mortals and immortals, bow down before me!! [Mwaaaaah-haaaaaa-haaa-ha!]

Elrond: Better do as she says. She is a Vala afer all.

Aragorn: A King bows to no one! [waves Anduril around threateningly]

Gilluin: Oh yeah? [brandishes keyboard] The pen is mightier than the sword!

Aragorn: [gulps, sheathes the sword, and backs away]

Gilluin: [grins] That's better. [Thinks, remembers something] Oh wait! [drags Aria-chan aka Roos onstage]

Kendall: [gasps] Roos! It's our muse again! Can you sign my shirt? [squeals happily]

Roos:. . .

Galadriel: Is Lady Roos one of the Valar as well?

Roos: [indignantly] Of course! Where would you all be if I wasn't here to defend the authoress from writer's block?

Ryou Bakura (from Yu-Gi-Oh!): You would all be sent to the Shadow Realm!

Kendall: First Harry Potter, now Yu-Gi-Oh? Stay in your own fandoms! [blasts Bakura back into Yu-Gi-Oh fandom]

Gilluin: Now bow down and grovel before us! [evil, slightly deranged cackle]

Everyone else: [grumbles about how they should plot a rebellion against the evil authoress and then bows]

Gilluin: I just love it when I get to "exploit my 'universe-creating imagination!'"


End file.
